Final answer:
Postpartum hair loss is a temporary condition that new mothers experience after childbirth due to hormonal normalization. It is distinct from lanugo, the fine fetal hair shed before birth, and usually resolves within a year.
Step-by-step explanation:
The temporary hair loss occurring at the conclusion of pregnancy is often associated with hormonal changes after childbirth. During pregnancy, increased hormone levels can lead to the growth of thicker and more luxurious hair.
However, after delivery, as hormone levels normalize, many new mothers experience a significant shedding of hair, commonly referred to as postpartum hair loss. This is a normal and temporary condition. Hair typically regains its pre-pregnancy state within 6 to 12 months after birth.
Lanugo, which is the fine, colorless hair that covers a fetus's face and body, is unrelated to postpartum hair loss as it is shed by the fetus close to the time of birth. Postpartum adjustments in maternal anatomy and physiology, aside from hair loss, also include changes in body weight and slight alterations in hormonal balance affecting the thyroid, which can lead to a shift in metabolic rate.