Investigating the prevalence of postpartum hair loss and its associated risk factors: a cross-sectional study

Background: Postpartum hair loss is one of the most common childbirth complications, sharing an association with certain clinical and disease-related factors. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of postpartum hair loss and risk factors in women referring to Yazd primary healthcare clinics. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 in four dermatology clinics in Yazd, Iran. The statistical population included all women aged 17 to 48 years who had given birth during the previous six months and attended primary healthcare clinics. Cluster sampling was performed to select the participants; 329 women visiting four clinics in Yazd were examined for hair loss and its risk factors. Study data were analyzed using SPSS software (t-test, ANOVA, and chi-squared test). Results: The mean age of the participants was 29.29 ± 6.12 years. In this study, 68.4% of participants had postpartum hair loss. There was a statistically significant relationship between postpartum hair loss and variables such as anemia (P = 0.001), breastfeeding (P = 0.002), nocturnal feeding (P = 0.001), gestational diabetes (P = 0.019), history of hypothyroidism (P = 0.001), and stress before and during delivery (P = 0.001 for both). Conclusions: This study revealed that a history of hair loss, breastfeeding, gestational diabetes, and stress could affect postpartum hair loss. Therefore, these factors might be used as hair loss predictors in women undergoing pregnancy.