New information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shed light on a troubling rise in the number of babies born with syphilis over the past decade.
In a report released on Tuesday, it was revealed that more than 3,700 babies were born with syphilis in the United States in 2022 — a figure more than ten times higher than that recorded in 2012.
According to CDC officials, this represents the highest number of cases in over 30 years.
“The congenital syphilis crisis in the United States has escalated at a devastating pace,” stated Dr. Debra Houry, Chief Medical Officer at the CDC, in a press release. “Urgent action is required to prevent further family tragedies.
We urge healthcare providers, public health systems, and communities to take additional measures to ensure that mothers and babies receive the necessary care.”
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can be transmitted to the baby during pregnancy. It has the potential to lead to severe outcomes such as miscarriage, stillbirth, infant mortality, and lifelong health problems.
The CDC’s report for 2022 documented 3,761 cases of congenital syphilis, which included 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths.
The report identified that lack of timely testing and adequate treatment were contributing factors in 88% of congenital syphilis cases in the United States.
CDC officials estimated that nearly 9 out of 10 cases of newborn syphilis in 2022 could have been prevented with appropriate testing and treatment.
During a media briefing, Dr. Laura Bachmann, Chief Medical Officer of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, highlighted a combination of individual and systemic barriers that hindered testing and treatment efforts, resulting in missed opportunities for prevention.
“These barriers may include lack of continuous health coverage, residing in healthcare or maternal care deserts, transportation limitations, challenges associated with substance use disorder, housing instability, poverty, and racism,” Dr. Bachmann explained.
While cases of newborn syphilis are rising across all racial and ethnic groups nationwide, Dr. Bachmann emphasized that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities are disproportionately affected by the newborn syphilis epidemic.
Dr. Jonathan Mermin, Director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, described the epidemic as an “unacceptable crisis in America.”
“All pregnant women — regardless of their background or location — deserve access to care that safeguards them and their babies from preventable diseases,” Dr. Mermin emphasized in the press release.
“Our nation must take proactive steps and look beyond the OB/GYN’s office to close gaps in prevention. Every interaction a healthcare provider has with a pregnant patient presents an opportunity to prevent congenital syphilis.”
