Coverage of Antenatal Syphilis Screening and Predictors for Not Being Screened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Abstract

To measure the coverage of antenatal syphilis screening and identify factors related to women not being screened. To assess the syphilis control program in Mongolia. Antenatal care records of women in 16 antenatal care clinics of 6 districts were reviewed. Additionally, postpartum women were interviewed to identify potential factors for not being screened. Among 3,519 antenatal records, the coverage of syphilis screening was 77.7%. Of 2,735 screened women, 54 (2.0%) had reactive serological results and subsequently received treatment. Four late antenatal care comers delivered infants with congenital syphilis. Being unscreened was significantly associated with late antenatal care (odds ratio OR=2.6), lack of knowledge (OR=5.5), history of previous sexually transmitted infection (OR=3.7), and living far from screening services (OR=4.9). The coverage of antenatal syphilis screening is still low, with poor contact tracing. More efforts are needed to promote early antenatal care visit and improve syphilis screening systems.