A dedicated intravenous team should be responsible for the care of patients discharged home on central nutrition. Tube feedings can be continuous or intermittent and may be combined with small, oral feedings when the patient feels ready. Duration of tube feedings can range from five to 60 days. It is relatively easy to confirm correct tube placement without the use of X-ray or fluoroscopy. Sepsis, thrombosis, and other major complications associated with parenteral therapy are not a factor in enteral therapy.
Home care is easy to arrange, and the patient can resume a near-normal lifestyle.
As oral intake improves, enteral feeding may be confined to only a nocturnal program. The patient is comfortable, gains weight, and feels much better about herself and her pregnancy. Unfortunately, enteral therapy is not often used, because of reluctance on the part of the patient, healthcare provider, and healthcare staff to try it. One disadvantage is that the tube can be displaced if the patient resumes retching and vomiting, but there are no documented adverse occurrences such as aspiration, and the tube is easily reinserted. 4 Drug therapy The FDA has not approved any drugs for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.