Congenital Syphilis in the Newborn

Abstract

It should be emphasized from the outset that prevention and care of syphilis in the newborn starts with adequate examination, diagnosis, and treatment of syphilis in pregnancy. Adequate treatment of the pregnant woman will either prevent infection of the fetus or cure it in the already infected fetus. The earlier the treatment, the better the prognosis. A thorough medical history, a careful physical examination, and serologic tests for syphilis are the minimum essentials in the pregnant woman. These should be done as early as possible during gestation and repeated towards term. Prenatal as well as premarital examinations and serologic tests for syphilis are moreover required by law in most states. A pregnant woman with early syphilis may have frequent episodes of spirochetemia. The<i>Treponema pallidum</i>may reach the placenta and may go through the placenta to the fetus. As the duration of the disease increases spirochetemia becomes less massive and