Mother Holding Newborn

Because of the increase of estrogen during a pregnancy, most women notice a ‘glow’ about them. This boost in hormones actually helps a woman grow stronger, healthier looking nails and hair. Generally a woman may have tough, shiny hair to begin with, but because of the sudden increase of hormones upon conception all the way through months after birth, the body may neglect hair production and the woman may notice her hair thinning and falling out more often than usual.

Most of the time, the difference isn’t obvious to anyone but the woman until after delivery. As the body finishes cycling through pregnancy and attempts to regulate, more of its energy is spent on ridding itself of the unnecessary hormones still lingering long after the body has stopped producing them. This again, neglects the hair follicles and the production and maintenance of hair.

Now if the mother is breast-feeding, her chances for more hair loss increase because at this time, the body is focused not only on flushing out the extra hormones but also tasked with continuing to create the hormones needed for producing breast milk. This is why hair loss is more noticeable after delivery.

As with every pregnancy, each trimester can be completely different for a woman. One trimester she can grow luxurious, thick hair much faster than if she weren’t pregnant and then the next, her hair could start to thin and become limp and dull. One thing you want to remember, as with any symptom of pregnancy, is to tell your doctor. It may seem like a minimal or normal thing, but hair loss (and growth) is caused by many factors other than pregnancy. By telling your doctor, he can eliminate any other causes right away and ease your mind. That way, he can focus on more important issues, like your health and the development of your baby!

If hair loss seems to still plague you long after the delivery, there is help. If your communication has been great with your doctor, he should already know about it, but make sure to discuss it with him and keep him up-to-date on your progress. He can perform tests to discover the cause of your hair loss and find a solution for you. Have no fear ladies. As with most afflictions associated with pregnancy, i.e. gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia, edema and high blood pressure, hair loss is a temporary burden that usually resolves itself in the months after delivery.