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Pregnant women with syphilis increase in Maricopa County by nearly 500% since 2016, health officials say

By FOX 10 Staff
FOX 10 Phoenix
Maricopa County
Published May 21, 2023 3:00 PM MST
Published May 21, 2023 3:00 PM MST

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. - The number of pregnant women with syphilis has increased by nearly 500% over the last seven years in Maricopa County, the county's department of public health says.

"Screening for syphilis during pregnancy is important," the agency said in a tweet on May 20. "Congenital syphilis rates have been increasing in Maricopa County, putting babies at risk of infection if it is not detected during pregnancy."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk could cause babies inside the womb to be born prematurely, have a low birth weight, be stillborn, or die shortly after being born.

If the baby is born with it and survives, it can have deformed bones, severe anemia, an enlarged liver and spleen, become jaundice and a number of other symptoms. The CDC says these may not be apparent at birth.

"Without treatment, the baby may develop serious problems. Usually, these health problems develop in the first few weeks after birth, but they can also happen years later," the agency warns.

If you need treatment, the CDC says it's pretty simple.

"Syphilis can be treated and cured with antibiotics. If you test positive for syphilis during pregnancy, be sure to get treatment right away," the CDC says. "If you are diagnosed with and treated for syphilis, your doctor should do follow-up testing for at least one year to make sure that your treatment is working."

If your baby needs treatment, the CDC says it might need antibiotics in a hospital for 10 days, or possibly just one injection of antibiotics.

  • Learn more about the county's response here.
  • Learn more about the STD and its risks here.
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