Effect of Multisensory Stimulation on Pain During Heel Lance in Newborns
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Multisensory Stimulation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Procedural Pain in Newborns. Basic parameters: 1 Day — 28 Days · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
The Effect of Multisensory Stimulation Applied During Heel Blood Sampling on Pain and Physiological Parameters in Newborns: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
This randomized controlled study will evaluate whether multisensory stimulation can reduce pain in healthy newborns during heel blood sampling. Newborns will be assigned to either a multisensory stimulation group, which includes breastfeeding, gentle stroking, maternal singing, and eye contact, or a control group in which the procedure will be performed while the newborn is held in the mother's arms. Pain scores, crying duration, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and procedure duration will be compared between the groups.
Detailed description
Heel blood sampling is a routine procedure used in newborn screening; however, it can produce pain, crying, and short-term changes in physiological parameters such as heart rate and oxygen saturation. Non-pharmacological approaches are commonly used to reduce procedural pain in newborns, but the effects of individual methods may be inconsistent. Multisensory stimulation combines several familiar and comforting sensory inputs and may reduce pain by directing attention away from the procedure, supporting autonomic regulation, and decreasing the stress response.
In this study, multisensory stimulation will consist of breastfeeding, gentle stroking of the leg, maternal singing or lullaby, and continuous eye contact between the mother and newborn. Breastfeeding and gentle stroking will begin 10 minutes before heel blood sampling and continue until 5 minutes after the procedure. Maternal singing and eye contact will be maintained throughout the procedure. The control condition will reflect supportive routine care, with the newborn held in the mother's arms during heel blood sampling.
The study will examine whether this structured multisensory approach reduces procedural pain and crying and supports physiological stability in healthy newborns. Pain, heart rate, and oxygen saturation will be assessed before, during, and after heel blood sampling. Crying duration and total procedure duration will also be recorded. The findings may contribute to the development of a safe, practical, and standardized non-pharmacological approach to pain management during routine newborn procedures.
Interventions
- Other Multisensory Stimulation
The multisensory stimulation intervention consists of four components: breastfeeding, gentle stroking, maternal singing or lullaby, and eye contact. Breastfeeding will begin 10 minutes before heel blood sampling and continue until 5 minutes after the procedure. During the same 15-minute period, the mother will gently stroke the newborn's leg from which the heel blood sample will be obtained. Throughout the heel blood sampling procedure, the mother will sing a lullaby or song in a soft and calm v
Primary outcome measures
- N-PASS Pain Score [Time frame: Immediately before, during, and immediately after heel blood sampling.]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Crying Duration [Time frame: During the heel blood sampling session.]
- Heart Rate [Time frame: Immediately before, during, and immediately after heel blood sampling.]
- Oxygen Saturation [Time frame: Immediately before, during, and immediately after heel blood sampling.]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Healthy newborns aged 0-28 days
- Newborns receiving routine monitoring and care with their mothers in the hospital's newborn care unit
- Written informed consent provided by the newborn's parent or legal representative
Exclusion criteria
- Presence of any lower-extremity anomaly
- Ongoing monitoring or treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit
- Presence of a congenital disease
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
Study locations
Turkey (Türkiye) · 2 centers
- Tatvan State Hospital — Ankara
- Bitlis State Hospita — Bitlis
Publications
- Garcia-Valdivieso I, Yanez-Araque B, Moncunill-Martinez E, Bocos-Reglero MJ, Gomez-Cantarino S. Effect of Non-Pharmacological Methods in the Reduction of Neonatal Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 12;20(4):3226. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043226. PMID 36833919
- Jin L, Zhang J, Yang X, Rong H. Maternal voice reduces procedural pain in neonates: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Mar 24;102(12):e33060. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000033060. PMID 36961138
- Sahin K, Yildiz S, Gur E. The effect of multi-sensory stimuli used during vaccination on pain and physiological parameters in infants: A randomized controlled trial. J Pediatr Nurs. 2026 Mar-Apr;87:20-30. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2025.11.051. Epub 2026 Jan 6. PMID 41500000
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07747649 · MSS-HEEL-RCT-2026-01