South Dakota medicine : the journal of the South Dakota State Medical Association
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The "Golden Hour," the first 60 minutes following the birth of an extremely premature infant, are perhaps the most important of his or her life. Specific attention to respiratory management, temperature regulation, and vascular access, undertaken via a standardized approach may have immeasurable long-term benefits, and make the difference between life and death. ⋯ We were not able to detect differences in temperature management, bronchopulmonary dysplasia or average length of hospital stay following implementation of the Golden Hour protocol. However, we observed a marked decrease in intraventricular hemorrhage and faster time for umbilical catheter insertion than prior to the protocol. Long-term follow-up of these infants is critical to assess neurodevelopmental benefits gained from use of the protocol.