Rates of Syphilis in Pregnancy Are Rising

Because congenital syphilis is a serious but preventable condition, all pregnant women are routinely tested for syphilis at the initial prenatal visit with a recommendation to retest high-risk women during the third trimester.

CDC data show that the number of pregnant women with syphilis increased from 1561 to 2508 between 2012 and 2016. However, only 51% of pregnant women with syphilis reported having a risk factor, suggesting that individual history is not an accurate predictor of a positive test. The most common risk factors were prior sexually transmitted diseases (STDs; 43%) and more than one sexual partner (30%) within the past year.