In addition, the role of mother after the loss of a child changes. It is common for many birthmothers to have secondary infertility for reasons not yet understood. More research in this area is vitally needed. Birthmothers who have other children are often over-protective as a means of preventing future child loss. Because of the birthmother's tender age, it is reasonable to assume that this experience has created numerous emotional scars in addition to the physical loss of her child.
Denial becomes survival for most birthmothers.
Frequently much was arrested along with the pain, such as the ability to love or trust again. Due to the psychological trauma, amnesia may also develop around certain aspects of the experience i.e., date of birth, hospital and birthing details, events, places and people at that time. It is not uncommon for the birthmother to become developmentally fixated at the age of the trauma. Indeed, few birthmothers ever forgot. Thus, the necessary grief work that is so important and healing at the time of the loss, and years after, becomes nearly nonexistent.