Antenatal Screening for Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium treponema pallidum. The disease has a special importance in pregnancy because it can be transmitted to the fetus, resulting in congenital syphilis (CS) and at times in intrauterine death. Testing pregnant women for syphilis and treating them are the keystones of the prevention of CS. Repeat testing in the third trimester may help in diagnosing any fresh case where the infection occurred after the first testing. Nontreponemal tests are widely used for screening. A 23-year-old primigravida presented with labor pains at 35.3 weeks of gestation. The mother’s initial screening test was negative, but the baby had quadriparesis, which turned out to be due to CS. The baby responded very well to treatment. Penicillin is the drug of choice for maternal as well as neonatal treatment, and no resistance to the drug has been reported. There is a definite place for retesting the mother in third trimester and in labor. Healthcare providers should bring about awareness for testing for syphilis in pregnancy and treating if required.