Foot Reflexology and Massage in Neonates Receiving Phototherapy
Effects of Foot Reflexology and Massage on Total Serum Bilirubin, Physiological Parameters, and Stress in Neonates Receiving Phototherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia
At a glance
- Phase
- Phase not stated
- Study type
- Interventional
- Sponsor
- Aydin Adnan Menderes University
- Enrolment target
- 105
- Started
- 9 May 2026
- Main results due
- 8 March 2027
- Study sites
- 1
- Registry updated
- 25 September 2026
Can you take part?
- Ages 2 days to 10 days.
- Open to any sex.
- You need the condition being studied — healthy volunteers are not accepted.
These are the headline rules only. Every study has a longer list, and whether you are eligible is decided by the research team at the site — never by this page.
Read the full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Neonates whose parents/legal guardians have signed the informed consent form and agreed to participate in the study * Neonates born between 34 and 41 weeks of gestation * Birth weight of 2500 g or above * Not mechanically ventilated * No nasogastric tube * Stable vital signs * No elevated acute phase reactants during phototherapy treatment * Indirect bilirubin level between 12 and 28 mg/dL at admission to the neonatal intensive care unit * Not receiving antibiotic treatment during the study * Aged between 2 and 10 days * No health problems other than indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of any neurological anomaly * Presence of any congenital anomaly * Jaundice due to ABO incompatibility * Jaundice due to Rh incompatibility * Presence of dermal anomalies * Diagnosis of hyperbilirubinemia within the first 24 hours after birth * Diagnosis of direct hyperbilirubinemia
What this study is about
In the sponsor’s own words, from the registry.
Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common condition in newborns and is frequently treated with phototherapy. In addition to standard treatment, non-pharmacological interventions such as massage and foot reflexology may help reduce bilirubin levels and improve physiological stability and stress in newborns.
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of foot reflexology and body massage on total serum bilirubin levels, physiological parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature), and stress levels in neonates receiving phototherapy.
A total of 105 newborns will be randomly assigned to three groups: foot reflexology, body massage, and control group. Interventions will be applied before phototherapy sessions, and outcomes will be measured before and after the intervention.
The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence for the use of non-invasive complementary methods in reducing bilirubin levels and improving clinical outcomes in newborns.
Study sites(1)
Kuşadası State Hospital
Kusadasi, Aydın, Turkey (Türkiye)
Recruiting
Showing 1 of 1 sites. 1 of the 1 site on this study is recruiting right now — a site can stop enrolling while the study as a whole is still open.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT07610811. Trialion does not run this study, is not paid to refer anyone to it, and cannot enrol you. Eligibility is always decided by the research team at the site.
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