Healthcare in Pakistan
Depression often starts at young age and affects women more commonly than men. One or two mothers out of 10 have depression after childbirth. Depression also limits a mother’s capacity to care for her child, and can seriously affect the child’s growth and development. A study showed that exposure to maternal mental distress is associated with undernutrition in 9‐month infants in urban Pakistan.
Miscarriage and grief
Miscarriage is associated with post traumatic stress disorder.
Risks for developing PTSD after miscarriage are: emotional pain, expressions of emotion, and low levels of social support. Even if relatively low levels of stress occur after the miscarriage, symptoms of PTSD including flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, dissociation and hyperarousal can later develop. The effects of stress can complicate miscarriage. Miscarriage is a stressful event and because stress is a risk factor for subsequent miscarriage, its presence can become part of cycle that continues. Lower stress levels are associated with more favorable outcomes in future pregnancies while higher stress levels increase the risk.