Congenital Syphilis
Congenital syphilis (CS) is on the rise in suburban Cook County. It is preventable with testing and treatment. If you are pregnant and have syphilis, you can pass it to your baby. This can have devastating results for your newborn. You can prevent congenital syphilis by getting the right antibiotics at the right time. Your healthcare provider can help you, so get prenatal care as soon as you know you’re pregnant.
Syphilis FAQ
What is syphilis?
- Syphilis is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems without treatment.
- Sexually active people can get syphilis through vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom with a partner who has syphilis.
- Syphilis can be treated with antibiotics, but treatment may not reverse any damage the infection has caused.
What is congenital syphilis?
- Congenital syphilis (CS) occurs when pregnant people pass syphilis to their babies during pregnancy. You can’t pass syphilis to your baby if you don’t have it.
- In the U.S., more than 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in 2022, which was more than 10 times the number in 2012.
- In suburban Cook County, congenital syphilis cases more than doubled from 2020 to 2021 and have stayed high since. View the most recent data.
How can congenital syphilis affect my baby?
- Congenital syphilis can have major health impacts on your baby. How congenital syphilis affects your baby’s health depends on how long you had syphilis and if — or when — you got treatment for the infection.
- Congenital syphilis can cause:
- Miscarriage (losing the baby during pregnancy)
- Stillbirth (a baby born dead)
- Prematurity (a baby born early)
- Low birth weight
- Death shortly after birth
- Babies born with congenital syphilis can have:
- Deformed bones
- Severe anemia (low blood count)
- Enlarged liver and spleen
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- Brain and nerve problems, like blindness or deafness
- Meningitis
- Skin rashes
Who should get tested for syphilis?
Get tested for syphilis if you are:
- Sexually active.
- Pregnant or planning to become pregnant and their partners.
- The sexual partner of someone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
I'm pregnant. How can I keep my baby from getting congenital syphilis?
Protect your baby from getting congenital syphilis by reducing your risks before and during pregnancy. You can do this by:
- Receiving prenatal care as quickly as possible.
- Having an open and honest conversation with your healthcare provider.
- Getting a syphilis test at your first prenatal visit.
- Getting treated if you have syphilis. Syphilis is treatable. Your baby will not get congenital syphilis if you don’t have it.
Do all babies born with congenital syphilis have signs or symptoms?
No. It is possible that a baby with congenital syphilis won’t have any symptoms at birth. However, if the baby does not receive treatment right away, the baby may develop serious problems. Usually, these health problems develop in the first few weeks after birth, but they can also happen years later.
Babies who do not get treatment for congenital syphilis and develop symptoms later on can die from the infection. They may also be developmentally delayed or have seizures.
How will my healthcare provider know if my baby has congenital syphilis?
Your healthcare provider must consider several factors to determine if your baby has congenital syphilis. These factors will include the results of your syphilis blood test and whether you received treatment for syphilis during your pregnancy if you were diagnosed with syphilis. Your healthcare provider may also want to test your baby’s blood, perform a physical exam of your baby, or do other tests, such as a spinal tap or an x-ray, to determine if your baby has congenital syphilis.
CDC has specific recommendations for your healthcare provider on how to evaluate babies born to people who have positive syphilis tests during pregnancy.
My baby was born with congenital syphilis. Is there a way to treat the infection?
Yes. There is treatment for congenital syphilis. Babies who have congenital syphilis need to be treated right away — or they can develop serious health problems. Depending on the results of your baby’s medical evaluation, they may need antibiotics in a hospital for 10 days. In some cases, only one injection of antibiotic is needed.
It’s also important that babies treated for congenital syphilis get follow-up care to make sure that the treatment worked.
Updated October 1, 2024, 9:33 AM