Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with maternal and congenital syphilis-A prospective study in Peru

Abstract

Objective: Objective of this study was to explore factors and outcomes associated with gestational syphilis in Peru. Methods: Women from the miscarriage, vaginal delivery, and C-section wards from a large maternity hospital in Lima with, or without syphilis diagnosis were enrolled and their pregnancy outcomes compared. Maternal syphilis status using maternal blood and child serostatus using cord blood were determined by rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and rapid syphilis tests (RST). Newborns’ clinical records were used to determine congenital syphilis. Results: Among 340 women samples, 197 were positive and 143 were negative for RPR/RST. Antibody titers in sera from cord and maternal blood were comparable with RPR titers highly correlated (rho: 0·82, p<0·001). Young age (p=0·009) and lower birth weight (p=0·029) were associated with gestational syphilis. Among women with gestational syphilis, 76% had received proper treatment. Mothers of all newborns with congenital syphilis also received appropriate treatment. Treatment of their sexual partners was not documented. Conclusions: Syphilis during pregnancy remains a major cause of the fetal loss and devastating effects of congenital syphilis in newborns.