Infection in later trimesters a key factor in congenital syphilis rise, experts warn
New guidelines, issued late last year, recommend screening three times during pregnancy.
Solitary syphilis tests in early pregnancy have failed to prevent congenital cases, say sexual health experts as they promote new guidelines recommending three tests during pregnancy.
The new Communicable Diseases Network Australia guidelines were published in late 2024 following a record 20 congenital syphilis cases in 2023.
ASHM deputy CEO Jessica Michaels said most women in these cases were diagnosed later in pregnancy, having contracted the infection after being tested.
“It was the highest number of congenital syphilis cases since 1995 and the highest number of associated deaths ever reported in a single year — 10 infant deaths,” she told AusDoc.
