Syphilis in newborns reaches 20-year high

New 2017 STD Surveillance Report reveals need for improved testing and treatment for pregnant women

Cases of congenital syphilis — when syphilis is passed from mother to baby during pregnancy — more than doubled in the U.S. since 2013, outpacing overall increases in STDs nationwide. Congenital syphilis can result in miscarriage, newborn death, and severe lifelong health problems.

Key findings

•	In 2017 there were 918 reported cases of congenital syphilis, up from 362 in 2013
•	70% of cases in 2017 were concentrated in just five states

Syphilis testing is crucial during pregnancy

•	Once diagnosed, syphilis during pregnancy is easily cured with the right antibiotics
•	All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis early in the first trimester
•	Testing once may not be enough — women at increased risk for syphilis should also be tested in the third trimester and again at delivery

"No parent should have to bear the death of a child when it would have been prevented with a simple test and safe treatment."

– Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

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