Syphilis in Pregnant Women: An Overview
Pregnant women can pass
syphilis to their babies during pregnancy and childbirth. Untreated syphilis results in a high risk of a bad outcome of the pregnancy. Therefore, if you are pregnant, you should be tested for syphilis.
Pregnant women with syphilis are treated right away with penicillin. For women who are allergic to penicillin, there is no alternative medicine that has proven an effective treatment. Penicillin will prevent passing syphilis to the baby, although treatment during the second half of pregnancy may not eliminate the risk for premature labor and
fetal distress.
Risks of Syphilis in Pregnant Women
Syphilis in pregnant women can cause:
- Miscarriages
- Premature births
- Stillbirths
- Death of newborn babies.
The risk of a mother transmitting syphilis to her unborn baby during pregnancy declines with time, but continues during latent syphilis. To prevent congenital syphilis, all pregnant women should be tested for the disease.
Syphilis in Pregnant Women: Impact on Infants
Some infants with congenital syphilis have
syphilis symptoms at birth, but most develop symptoms later.
Babies born with syphilis may develop:
- Skin sores
- Rashes
- Fever
- Jaundice (yellow skin)
- Anemia (a blood problem)
- Swollen liver and spleen
- Developmental delay
- Seizures
- Death.
In rare cases, the symptoms of syphilis go unseen in infants so that they develop the symptoms of late-stage syphilis, including damage to:
- Bones
- Teeth
- Eyes
- Ears
- Brain.
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