Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background Pregnancy is an important period in a woman’s life, during which physiological, psychological, and social changes occur. Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a serious medical problem in pregnancy along with post-partum depression, affect woman’s physical health, quality of life, and psychosocial condition. Currently, BNDF has been identified as nerve growth factor and also present in ovarian tissue. However, evidence regarding the association between maternal BDNF level and the severity of HG, early postpartum depressive symptoms, and with neonatal birth weight remains limited. Objective This study aimed to investigate the triple link between maternal BDNF level and the severity of HG, early postpartum depressive symptoms, and with neonatal birth weight and birth length and to provides population-specific evidence from an underrepresented Southeast Asian setting. Methods This observational prospective study included 88 pregnant women presenting to Mother and Child Hospital of Siti Fatimah and Hasanuddin University Hospital, during the first trimester of their pregnancy. Results Maternal BDNF was inversely correlated with PUQE (ρ = −0.775), EPDS (ρ = −0.905), and PHQ-9 scores (ρ = −0.906; all p < 0.001). Conversely, BDNF was positively correlated with birth weight (r = 0.398; p < 0.001) and birth length (ρ = 0.277; p = 0.009). Mean BDNF was lower among women with severe than moderate HG (16.41 ± 4.95 versus 26.03 ± 5.64 ng/mL; mean difference 9.62 ng/mL; p < 0.001; η² = 0.420). Women who screened positive on the EPDS also had lower BDNF than those who screened negative (16.83 ± 4.75 versus 27.05 ± 5.10 ng/mL; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 2.061). HG severity was strongly associated with EPDS screening status (Cramér’s V = 0.844) and PHQ-9 symptom severity (Cramér’s V = 0.788; both p < 0.001). In adjusted models, lower BDNF and higher PUQE scores remained independently associated with higher EPDS and PHQ-9 scores. Conclusion Lower maternal circulating BDNF was consistently associated with greater HG severity, more pronounced early postpartum depressive symptoms, and smaller neonatal outcomes. BDNF may reflect a shared neurotrophic response to the nutritional, metabolic, and psychological burden of HG. However, these findings indicate associations rather than causality and do not establish BDNF as a diagnostic biomarker.