A new study published in JAMA Network Open has found that children born with congenital syphilis are six times more likely to be hospitalized before the age of five. Even children who were only exposed to syphilis in the womb—but not infected—were twice as likely to be hospitalized compared to unexposed children.
The study was led by researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Brazil’s Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS). It used health data from over 8 million children born in Brazil.
36,000+ children had congenital syphilis (infected at birth).
30,000+ were exposed to the infection during pregnancy but were not diagnosed themselves.
Children with congenital syphilis were 6 times more likely to be hospitalized before age 5.
Those only exposed (but not diagnosed) were 2 times more likely to be hospitalized.
The highest risk occurred within the first month of life, where babies with congenital syphilis were 11 times more likely to be admitted to hospital.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium. It can be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy. If untreated, 50–80% of pregnancies affected by syphilis result in serious complications, including:
Stillbirth
Preterm birth
Infant death
Disabilities like seizures, deafness, and skeletal problems
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 6 million new cases of syphilis are recorded each year. Rates are rising globally, even in high-income countries.
Lead researcher Dr. Enny Da Paixao Cruz emphasized that syphilis is both preventable and treatable, but still severely affects many mothers and babies.
“Even babies who aren’t born with the infection can face serious health problems,” Dr. Cruz said. “We need to prevent syphilis before pregnancy, not just test during it.”
Senior author Professor Maria Yury Ichihara said the findings show that congenital syphilis has long-term effects. She called for better prevention, screening, and long-term care for affected families.
The researchers noted that the study was based on administrative health data, which may not capture all clinical details. There was also a possibility of misclassification in diagnosing cases.
This study reveals that the health risks of syphilis exposure during pregnancy extend well beyond birth. Public health systems must strengthen efforts to prevent maternal syphilis and support children who are exposed, even if they aren’t born infected.
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