Congenital syphilis is preventable, yet cases in the United States keep climbing. The infection occurs when syphilis passes from a pregnant person to their baby during pregnancy, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it affected 3,941 newborns in 2024 alone — the 12th consecutive year of increases and a total nearly 700% higher than in 2015.
Left undetected, the infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, infant death and other serious health complications. Yet most of these outcomes are preventable with timely screening and appropriate treatment uring pregnancy, which is why preparing women’s health providers to recognize and manage syphilis has become a key part of addressing the public health challenge.
The University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Nursing Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) program is one of three graduate education sites selected to participate in a national multisite educational initiative focused on infectious diseases during pregnancy, with particular attention to the rise in congenital syphilis cases nationwide. Led and coordinated by the University of Missouri–Kansas City and supported by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health through funding from the CDC Foundation, the initiative aims to equip healthcare providers, including WHNP and other advanced practice registered nurses, with current knowledge and practical resources to identify, diagnose and treat infections during pregnancy.
While congenital syphilis is a key focus, the broader initiative addresses other perinatal infectious disease threats, giving providers a fuller set of tools to protect maternal and newborn health.
“Syphilis education is particularly important for Women’s Health NP students because we are often involved in the care of patients before, during and after pregnancy, which puts us in a key position to identify risk, provide screening, recognize infection and ensure patients receive timely treatment,” says Tamara Pavlik-Maus, MSN, APRN-CNP, WHNP-BC, director of the college’s WHNP program.
Source: www.uc.edu
