Maternal and congenital syphilis in rural Haiti

Abstract

Objectives. A study was conducted to assess the prevalence of maternal syphilis and esti- ABSTRACTSyphilis continues to be a widespread global health problem, affecting 12 million people each year and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality (1). SubSaharan Africa has the highest prevalence of gestational syphilis, with up to 17% of pregnant women testing positive for syphilis at antenatal clinics (2). Several Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Haiti, also have very high reported rates of the disease (3, 4). Congenital syphilis rates closely parallel rates of primary and secondary syphilis in women of child-bearing age (5).Syphilis in pregnancy is a major risk for the mother and the fetus, frequently causing miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death (6). Adverse pregnancy outcomes are known to occur in up to 80% of women with active syphilis during gestation (7). Congenital syphilis, particularly if untreated, usually causes deleterious consequences to the child-including deafness, blindness, and mental retardation. Given that 50% of infants with congenital syphilis are asymptomatic at birth (8), many such children born to women with unrecognized gestational syphilis could remain untreated. Early prenatal screening for syphilis, and proper treatment of women during pregnancy, is therefore the most costeffective approach to avoid prenatal complications and the high morbidity

Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Haiti

“…32 Financial constraints and physical distance, which limit access to care, along with few treatment resources contribute to high rates of infections, including syphilis, which carries a high infant fatality rate. [33][34][35] Four of 10 women are the victims of violence during pregnancy, mainly interpersonal violence. 36 Capturing the cumulative impact of these health inequities, the maternal mortality in 2008 was 630 per 100,000 women…”

Sífilis Congênita: Perfil Epidemiológico Em Palmas - Tocantins

“…Das gestantes infectadas pelo T. pallidum, cerca de um terço não são adequadamente tratadas, o que pode resultar em perda fetal, e outro terço em casos de SC (ARAÚJO et al, 2012). O não tratamento do recém-nascido pode trazer graves complicações, como lesões neurológicas, deformidades, surdez, cegueira e retardo mental (LOMOTEY et al, 2009;ARAÚJO et al, 2012).…”

Adhesion to the monitoring of newborns from VDRL positive mothers

“…These studies indicate, according to regions or countries, some factors that may or may not have contributed to its occurrence: the difficult access to prenatal care and/or its low quality; early sexual initiation; low income; use of legal and illegal drugs; sex professionals; low education, the non-partner treatment, among others. 5,[7][8][9][10][11] Even in countries that have implemented eradication plans for congenital syphilis, the disease The monitoring of newborns from VDRL Lopes ID…”