Postpartum alopecia occurs in

• A. It occurs during pregnancy
• B. It is permanent
• C. It affects women at the end of a pregnancy
• D. It affects men after puberty

Answer: (C)

Postpartum alopecia is tied to the stages after childbirth, when hormonal changes cause hair shedding to become visible. During pregnancy, high estrogen keeps more hairs in the growth phase, often making hair look fuller. After delivery, estrogen levels fall back toward pre-pregnancy levels, and many hairs that were maintained during pregnancy enter the shedding phase, leading noticeable thinning in the weeks to months after birth. This timing—toward the end of pregnancy and into the postpartum period—best describes when it occurs. The shedding is temporary for most people, with hair regrowth usually occurring within several months to a year as hormones normalize. It does not occur during pregnancy, it is not permanent, and it is not something that occurs in men after puberty.