Lavender may ease baby pain during routine heel prick
NCT ID NCT07350980
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether applying scents (like lavender) during heel blood collection can reduce crying, pain, and stress in newborns. 120 healthy full-term babies were randomly assigned to receive a scent or not. Researchers measured crying time, heart rate, and a standard pain scale. The goal is to find a simple, safe way to make this common procedure less uncomfortable for infants.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- scented oils (e.g., lavender)
- What this could lead to
- If scents work, this could offer a simple, side-effect-free way to reduce pain and crying in newborns during routine heel pricks.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study (120 babies) testing a non-drug method. Results may not apply to all newborns or settings, and the effect may be modest.
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
-
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
-
120 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2025
- Finished
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Oct 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
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
-
37 to 42 weeks
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
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: * Gestational age between 38-42 weeks, * APGAR score of 7 or higher at 5 minutes, * Neither mother nor baby should have used sedatives, tranquilizers, or anticonvulsants in the last 24 hours, * Heel prick blood should be planned as part of the routine neonatal screening program, * No blood should be taken from the heel prick for any other reason before the procedure, * Parents should voluntarily participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: * Gestational age of 37 weeks or less, * APGAR score of 6 or lower at 5 minutes, * Having a diagnosed lung disease, * Having a history of atopic dermatitis, hypersensitivity, or allergies, * Parents should not wish to participate in the study.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Sakarya University
Sakarya, Turkey (Türkiye)
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