Newborn syphilis cases hit highest level in 30 years

Federal health officials are sounding the alarm about a"dire" and"alarming" increase in the number of babies born with syphilis, which can cause lifelong health problems and even death for newborns.

An infected, untreated pregnant woman can pass it to her fetus, known as congenital syphilis. This can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death. The babies that survive can develop serious issues, such as blindness, deafness, developmental delays or skeletal abnormalities, according to the CDC.

A lack of timely testing and adequate treatment during pregnancy resulted in 88% of the year's cases, with more than 37% of the babies with syphilis born to people who received no prenatal care and more than half of all cases born to people who tested positive for syphilis but didn't receive adequate or timely treatment.

The CDC says a lack of timely testing is the"most frequently missed opportunity" to prevent the disease, but for many people, the most significant risk factor is living in a community with high rates of syphilis. It says that considering geographic risk in addition to individual behavior can reduce stigma and bias for screenings.

Health Health Latest News, Health Health Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

US syphilis cases in newborn babies continue to rise, CDC saysMore and more babies across the U.S. have recently been born with syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, according to the CDC.
Source: 13WHAM - 🏆 256. / 63 Read more »

Newborn syphilis cases skyrocketing, CDC saysPfizer works to speed production of key penicillin as officials see ‘unacceptable American crisis,’ underscoring a need for rapid testing and treatment
Source: MarketWatch - 🏆 3. / 97 Read more »

Newborn syphilis cases have reached 'dire levels,' CDC saysAria Bendix is the breaking health reporter for NBC News Digital.
Source: NBCNewsHealth - 🏆 707. / 51 Read more »

Newborn syphilis cases have 'skyrocketed' in last decade, CDC warnsHealth officials across the state are sounding the alarm about a rise in congenital syphilis cases. Congenital syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection found in pregnant women and officials say women who are unhoused are most at risk.
Source: nypost - 🏆 91. / 67 Read more »

CDC sounds alarm on 'heartbreaking' rise in newborn syphilis ratesGabrielle M. Etzel is the healthcare policy reporter for the Washington Examiner. Prior to joining the Washington Examiner, she served as a staff reporter at Campus Reform and as a freelance writer.
Source: dcexaminer - 🏆 6. / 94 Read more »