An interventional study of Massage once a day for 3 days. and Massage twice a day for 3 days. in Hyper Bilirubinemia, Phototherapy and Jaundice, Neonatal, sponsored by Kutahya Health Sciences University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 2 Days to 10 Days. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-05.
Sponsored by Kutahya Health Sciences University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
Hyperbilirubinemia is a common condition in term newborns and is often treated with phototherapy. It is thought that abdominal massage may increase bowel movements, thereby increasing the frequency of defecation and supporting bilirubin excretion.
This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of abdominal massage, applied once or twice daily using the Vimala technique, on transcutaneous bilirubin levels and defecation frequency in hyperbilirubinemia-affected term newborns receiving phototherapy in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital between February 29, 2020, and August 17, 2023. A total of 35 newborns meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into three groups. Group Massage-1 received 10 minutes of abdominal massage once daily before feeding for three days (n=12). Group Massage-2 received massage twice daily for the same duration (n=10). The control group received routine care (n=13).
110 studies on the registry are indexed under Jaundice, Neonatal; 28 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 35 is below the median of 150 across 78 interventional studies indexed under Jaundice, Neonatal.
Browse Jaundice, Neonatal studies →Kutahya Health Sciences University is the lead sponsor of 219 studies on the registry; 50 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Babies in Massage-1 received a 10-minute abdominal massage once a day before feeding for three days.
Other: Massage once a day for 3 days.
Babies in the Massage-2 group received a 10-minute abdominal massage twice a day before feeding for three days.
Other: Massage twice a day for 3 days.
The Vimala Massage Application, before massaging, hands were washed and lubricated. The massage began with a patting motion on the newborn's abdomen, followed by clockwise circular movements and semicircles. The massage was then performed in the shapes of an I, inverted L, and U along the abdomen. Finally, a walking movement was performed with the fingertips from the right to the left side of the abdomen. Each movement was repeated six times.
The Vimala Massage Application, before massaging, hands were washed and lubricated. The massage began with a patting motion on the newborn's abdomen, followed by clockwise circular movements and semicircles. The massage was then performed in the shapes of an I, inverted L, and U along the abdomen. Finally, a walking movement was performed with the fingertips from the right to the left side of the abdomen. Each movement was repeated six times.
A transcutaneous bilirubin levels
Time frame: 6 hours after phototherapy
Defecation
Time frame: Diapers were changed a total of 8 times a day. Defecation outcome was assessed in 24-hour intervals for 3 days.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Ran from Feb 2020 to primary completion in Aug 2023, 41 months.
Of 35 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Jaundice, Neonatal, half reached primary completion within 12 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 21. This study's 41 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 45 studies reached it within 11 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 21.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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