Salivary Cortisol Levels and Clinical Signs of Stress in Premature Neonates Treated with Vimala Massage: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

In neonatal intensive care units across the world, premature neonates are exposed to a very stressful environment with high levels of noise, bright lights, pain, infections, invasive procedures, and a lack of maternal contact. Stress is manifested by increased cortisol levels and clinical signs of stress. To assess the impact of Vimala massage on (1) salivary cortisol levels (primary outcome) and (2) clinical signs of stress (secondary outcomes) in premature neonates.