MMWR Media Summary

Missed Opportunities for Prevention of Congenital Syphilis — United States, 2018

In 2018, half of U.S. newborn syphilis cases occurred due to gaps in testing & treatment during prenatal care.

Congenital syphilis (CS) cases increased 261% from 2013 – 2018 (from 362 to 1,306 cases), according to CDC surveillance data. This report describes the most common missed opportunities for CS prevention. Inadequate treatment for mothers was most common (31% of CS cases), followed by a lack of timely prenatal care (28%). Of the 1,306 CS cases in 2018, nearly 9 in 10 occurred in the southern or western regions of the U.S. The most common missed opportunities differed by region: Inadequate maternal treatment was most common in the South (35% of cases), and a lack of timely prenatal care was most common in the West (41%). Regional differences underscore the importance of tailoring CS prevention solutions to the needs of affected communities and mothers.

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