Data documenting the activity of Modena and Reggio Emilia University Hospital Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Psychosomatic Service (C-LPPS) to the 59 bed gynecological-obstetric unit are compared to the corresponding European Consultation Liaison Workgroup (ECLW) study results and discussed in the light of recent epidemiological studies suggesting a low rate of detection and psychiatric referral in obstetric and gynecological patients. All psychiatric consultations of gynecological-obstetric inpatients during a 3-year (1996-1998) period were included in this study and data were derived from valid and reliable consultation forms tested for reliability. Within the 3-year period 55 patients were referred to C-LPPS by the gynecological-obstetric unit for psychiatric consultation. Referral rate was 0.5% of the admitted patients in the unit. The gynecological-obstetric group represented 2.5% (vs. 4.5% ECLW study) of all psychiatric consultations requested in the study period. The most frequent reasons for referral were: current psychiatric symptoms (47.3% Modena study vs. 39% ECLW), psychiatric history (20% vs. 7.3%), unexplained physical symptoms (12.7% vs. 16.2%) and coping-compliance problems (3.6% vs. 16.6%). The most common ICD-10 psychiatric diagnoses were: neurotic, anxiety and adjustment disorders (41.8% vs. 31.2%), mood disorders (29% vs. 18.4%), personality disorders (7.3% vs. 6.1%), schizophrenic and other psychotic disorders (5.5% vs. 7%).