When Shahnaz went into labour, her husband Abdul called a taxi to take them to the only medical facility accessible to them.
She was in a lot of pain, he says.
A 20-minute drive away, the clinic was in Shesh Pol village in Afghanistan's north-eastern Badakhshan province. It was where their two older children were born.
Abdul sat next to Shahnaz, comforting her as they drove over gravel tracks to reach help.
But when we reached the clinic, we saw that it was closed. I didn't know it had shut down, he said, his face crumpling with agony.
Warning: Readers may find some details in this article distressing.
The clinic in Shesh Pol is one of more than 400 medical facilities that closed down in Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries, after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid to the country earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The small clinic was a critical lifeline, assisting around 25-30 deliveries every month and providing essential healthcare services, but now it stands abandoned.
Abdul and Shahnaz's situation was tragically exacerbated by the closure; faced with travelling further to reach another facility, they opted to return home.
But the baby was coming and we had to stop by the side of the road, Abdul recalled.
Shahnaz delivered their baby girl in the car, but tragically, both she and their newborn died shortly thereafter.
I wept and screamed. My wife and child could've been saved if the clinic was open, Abdul said. We had a hard life, but we were living it together. I was always happy when I was with her. A striking reality is unfolding in Badakhshan as countless families face a similar plight, reflecting the profound impact of healthcare accessibility.
The US cuts were justified due to allegations of aid benefiting terrorist factions, but the harsh reality is missed by those facing the consequences. Only time will reveal the long-term effects of this decision on the Afghan population, particularly vulnerable women.
The Taliban's policies and ongoing restrictions, especially on women, compound the tragedy. With the healthcare landscape rapidly diminishing, more mothers risk facing home births without medical assistance, leading to devastating outcomes already seen across the region.
As Abdul mourns his wife and child, he becomes part of a growing tapestry of loss, each story exemplifying the dire consequences of political decisions far removed from their daily struggles.
