US maternal syphilis rate rises 28% from 2022 to 2024

7 articles · Updated · The Conversation · May 1

The CDC said the rate climbed from just over 280 to nearly 360 cases per 100,000 births, while congenital syphilis cases have surged 700% since 2015.
The report linked the increase to stagnant STI funding, reduced screening and treatment access during Covid-19, and broader spread of syphilis beyond men who have sex with men.
Delayed prenatal care, stigma and incomplete screening leave pregnancies vulnerable, with untreated infections risking miscarriage, stillbirth and lifelong disabilities; penicillin shortages add pressure despite antibiotics remaining effective.

As syphilis declines in the general population, why is the infection rate for newborns soaring by 700%?

With a simple cure available, why is a preventable disease causing a public health crisis for American babies?