Gentle human touch is still, or contained, gentle touch without stroking, rubbing, or passive movement. Gentle human touch is a skin-to-skin touch contact technique designed specifically for physiologically fragile infants. Jay conducted a quasi experimental and observational study examining the physiologic and behavioral effects of GHT in one of the first studies to evaluate GHT in medically fragile very preterm infants who were intubated and mechanically ventilated. Jay provided GHT to 13 very preterm infants by placing 1 hand on the infant's head and the other on its abdomen for 12 minutes, 4 times per day, for 10 days, commencing when the infants were less than 96 hours of age. Each of the 13 infants received a total of 48 minutes of GHT per day. Infants who received GHT had higher hematocrit levels, resulting in fewer blood transfusions, and lower oxygen requirement over time, which appeared to be clinically significant compared with infants in a matched control group. However, there were no differences between groups for temperature range, weight gain, tolerance of feedings, or complications. More positive behavioral outcomes were reported in the experimental group, including fewer startle responses, decreased overall activity with observable quieting during GHT, and open hand positioning, suggesting a more relaxed infant state over time.