Syphilis in pregnancy can harm the baby, because when the pregnant woman does not undergo treatment there is a great risk of the baby getting syphilis through the placenta, which can develop serious health problems such as deafness, blindness, neurological and bone problems.
The treatment of syphilis in pregnancy is usually done with Penicillin and it is important that the partner also undergo the treatment and that the pregnant woman does not have intimate contact without a condom until the end of the treatment.
Main risks for the baby
Syphilis in pregnancy is severe especially if syphilis is in its early stages, when it is most transmissible, although contamination can happen at any stage of pregnancy. The baby can also be infected during normal delivery if there is a sore from the syphilis in the vagina.
In this case there is a risk of:
- Premature birth, fetal death, low birth weight baby, Skin patches, bone changes; Fissure near the mouth, nephrotic syndrome, edema, Seizures, meningitis; Deformation of the nose, teeth, jaw, roof of the mouthDeafness and difficulty of learning.
The baby can be breastfed unless the mother has a syphilis sore on the nipples.
Most infected babies do not have any symptoms at birth and therefore all need to undergo the VDRL exam at birth, 3 and 6 months later, starting treatment as soon as the disease is discovered.
Fortunately, most pregnant women who undergo treatment following all medical guidelines do not pass the disease on to the baby.
How to treat syphilis in pregnancy
Treatment for syphilis in pregnancy should be indicated by the obstetrician and is usually done with injections of Penicillin in 1, 2 or 3 doses, depending on the severity and time of contamination.
It is very important that the pregnant woman undergo the treatment until the end to avoid transmitting syphilis to the baby, that she does not have intimate contact until the end of the treatment and that the partner also undergoes the treatment for syphilis to prevent the progression of the disease and to avoid the recontamination of women.
It is also important that, at birth, the baby is evaluated so that, if necessary, it can also be treated with Penicillin, as soon as possible. Learn more about syphilis in babies here.
Syphilis can be cured in pregnancy
Syphilis in pregnancy is curable when the treatment is done correctly and it is confirmed in the VDRL exam that the syphilis bacteria has been eliminated. In pregnant women diagnosed with syphilis, the VDRL test should be performed monthly until the end of pregnancy to confirm the elimination of the bacteria.
The VDRL test is a blood test that serves to identify the disease and must be done at the beginning of prenatal care and repeated in the 2nd trimester, even if the result is negative, as the disease may be in the latent phase and it is important that the treatment is done in the same way.
Learn more about the disease in the following video:
