Public health experts have said that every case of congenital syphilis is a failure of STI screening and prenatal care. A new study looked more closely at cases to see what factors in a pregnant person’s life were most associated with congenital syphilis.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released new guidelines recommending that all pregnant people be screened for syphilis three times during pregnancy.
The number of babies born with syphilis in the United States is increasing at an alarming rate. There were over 10 times as many babies born with syphilis in 2022 than in 2012.
Syphilis can be treated more easily if it is caught early. But undiagnosed and untreated syphilis can be dangerous. It can cause irreversible health damage and even death.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a serious infection in the reproductive organs of women that can lead to infertility or life-threatening complications.
As rates of congenital syphilis skyrocket, a severe shortage of the only antibiotic approved to treat syphilis in pregnant women is delaying care for pregnant patients.
Cases of infants born with syphilis have soared in recent years. New CDC data reveal that more than 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in 2022—more than 10 times the number born in 2012.
