The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday said that rates of newborn syphilis are rapidly increasing amid the accelerating epidemic of sexually transmitted infections.
“The congenital syphilis crisis in the United States has skyrocketed at a heartbreaking rate,” said CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry. “New actions are needed to prevent more family tragedies.”
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER: RHODE ISLAND SPECIAL ELECTION EXPECTED TO HELP HOUSE DEMOCRATS
Over 3,700 infants were diagnosed with congenital syphilis in the United States in 2022, including 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths, which is 10 times the rate in 2012.
Syphilis is a bacterial STI that has been on the rise in recent years. Syphilis rates increased by nearly 32% from 2020 to 2021, with more than 2.5 million reported cases of syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congenital syphilis is treatable with antibiotics early in pregnancy with the proper screening and care. According to Tuesday’s CDC report, 9 out of 10 cases of infants with congenital syphilis might have been preventable with timely testing and treatment during pregnancy.
“The congenital syphilis epidemic is an unacceptable American crisis,” said Jonathan Mermin, the director of CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “All pregnant mothers — regardless of who they are or where they live — deserve access to care that protects them and their babies from preventable disease.”
CDC said that limited access to prenatal healthcare is a driving factor for the increasing newborn syphilis epidemic.
Although congenital syphilis rates are increasing across all racial categories, babies born to racial minorities are eight times more likely to have been born with the condition. This corresponds to persistently higher rates of syphilis among minority communities.
Nearly 40% of mothers of children with congenital syphilis were not seeking prenatal care.
CDC guidance on the issue emphasized encouraging any healthcare provider that a pregnant or reproductive-age patient might see to encourage syphilis testing and treatment. Utilizing rapid testing and beginning treatment with the first visit, in addition to follow-up confirmatory testing, is strongly advised.
Community health leaders are also encouraged to offer screening for sexually active women and their partners for syphilis and risk factors for the infection, such as high community infection rates, drug misuse, and sexual history.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The CDC in October issued a recommendation that biological men who have sex with men take the antibiotic doxycycline as a post-exposure prophylaxis in an effort to curb the spread of STIs in both male and female populations.
“We’re calling on healthcare providers, public health systems, and communities to take additional steps to connect mothers and babies with the care they need,” said Houry.
