Congenital Syphilis Cases Rise for 12th Straight Year, Renewing Calls for Prenatal Screening

March 9, 2026

Congenital syphilis — syphilis passed from a pregnant person to their baby — increased for the 12th consecutive year in provisional 2024 CDC data, with nearly 4,000 cases reported nationally, according to the American Sexual Health Association's review of the figures.

While the 1.6% year-over-year increase was notably smaller than in several previous years, the overall case count remains roughly 700% higher than a decade ago. Syphilis rates among pregnant women rose 222% between 2016 and 2022, and a further 28% between 2022 and 2024, according to the same review.

Public health groups have pointed to gaps in prenatal care access as a central driver, noting that too many pregnant women are not being screened for syphilis early enough in pregnancy to allow for timely treatment. CDC guidance recommends syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B testing early in pregnancy specifically because early detection allows time for treatment or preventive measures that significantly reduce transmission risk to the baby.

Earlier CDC surveillance data covering 2023 similarly found congenital syphilis cases at their highest level since 1992, including 279 reported stillbirths and neonatal or infant deaths linked to the infection, according to a report from CIDRAP, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

Unlike adult syphilis screening, which can reasonably wait for a defined window period after a specific exposure, prenatal syphilis screening is generally recommended as a standard part of early pregnancy care regardless of perceived individual risk, given how much the timing affects outcomes for the baby.

Pregnant individuals or their partners with questions about testing timing following a specific exposure can check the STD testing during pregnancy guide on this site for a full breakdown of what's typically tested and when.

Sources: American Sexual Health Association, CIDRAP.