A gentle touch may soothe Preemies' pain during blood tests
NCT ID NCT07715682
First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether gentle human touch and reducing light and sound (using an eye mask and earplug) can lessen pain and improve comfort for premature infants during a routine heel prick blood test. Sixty preterm babies (32–36 weeks gestation) are randomly assigned to receive gentle touch, stimulus reduction, or standard care with a pacifier. Pain and comfort are measured before, during, and after the procedure to see if these simple, drug-free approaches help.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- gentle human touch and stimulus reduction (eye mask and earplug)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, these simple, non-drug methods could become standard practice to reduce pain and stress in premature infants during routine procedures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with 60 infants, so results may not apply broadly. The interventions may not significantly reduce pain compared to standard care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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32 to 37 weeks
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Preterm infants with a gestational age between 32 and 36+6 weeks * Written informed consent obtained from parents Exclusion Criteria: * Infants with serious medical conditions that may affect study parameters * Infants receiving intensive invasive treatments (e.g., opioid or sedative medication)
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Etlik City Hospital
RECRUITINGAnkara, Turkey (Türkiye)
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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