RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore a more effective therapy for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a western medicine group and a Chinese medicine group, 30 cases in each group. They were treated with same supplement of water and electrolyte, with acupuncture at Dazhu (BL 11), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Neiguan (PC 6), Gongsun (SP 4), etc. added in the acupuncture group, with oral administration of Luminal 30 mg thrice each day added in the western medicine group and with oral administration of Chinese herbal decoction according to syndrome differentiation of TCM added in the Chinese medicine group. The therapeutic effect, ketone bodies, carbon dioxide combining power (CO2-CP) and electrolyte imbalance situation in all the groups were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment for 7 days, the total effective rate of 96.7% in the acupuncture group was better than 46.7% in the western medicine group and 60.0% in the Chinese medicine group (both P < 0.01). There were significant improvements in ketone bodies in the acupuncture group compared with those before treatment and those in the western medicine group (both P < 0.05), and improvements in CO2-CP and electrolyte imbalance in all the groups were following the recovery of disease.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture has rapid and obvious therapeutic effect on hyperemesis gravidarum without adverse reactions.</p>