The Effect of Massage on Preterm Babies

Launched by ÖZLEM BOZBUĞA · Jan 23, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the effects of massage on preterm babies who are receiving a type of breathing support called NCPAP (nasal continuous positive airway pressure) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The researchers want to find out if massage can help reduce pain, improve comfort, and enhance feeding for these tiny infants. They believe that by easing stress through massage, babies may have a better experience during their treatment and may face fewer complications.

To participate in this study, infants must be at least 32 weeks old, weigh more than 1500 grams, and have received NCPAP therapy for at least one day. Parents need to agree to take part in the study, and the babies must not have certain health issues, like specific infections or surgeries. If eligible, participants can expect to receive gentle massages as part of their care, and the researchers will closely monitor how this affects their pain levels, comfort, and feeding. This study is not yet recruiting, but it aims to gather important information about how massage might benefit vulnerable preterm infants.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Infants of parents who agreed to participate in the study,
• • Receiving NCPAP therapy for at least 1 day,
• • Gestational age greater than 32 weeks
• • Birth weight over 1500 grams
• • Infants fed with orogastric + total parenteral nutrition (TPN) will be included.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • • Infants with necrotising entecolitis, suspected or confirmed sepsis,
• • No skin disease,
• • Not receiving sedation (considering that it may affect pain response),
• • Babies who have undergone surgical intervention (abdominal and central nervous system, cardiac surgery)
• • Babies of substance-abusing mothers,
• • Infants of parents who do not agree to participate in the study will not be included.
• • Babies in the massage group who switched from Ncpap to IMV, who underwent surgical intervention with sedation and who developed NEC will be excluded from the study.