Status of Prenatal Assistance services for Syphilis Infected Pregnant Women on Region of Baixada Santista, Sp, Brazil

Abstract

87,593 cases of acquired syphilis were recorded in Brazil, 37,436 cases of syphilis in pregnant women, and 20,474 cases of congenital syphilis, and among these, 185 deaths. The larger number of cases was reported in the southeastern region (53.5% of acquired syphilis, 46.9% of syphilis in pregnant women, and 41.5% of congenital syphilis). In Brazil, the prevalence of syphilis in pregnant women is four times higher than in cases of positive acquired immunodefi ciency virus (HIV) from the same group 4. The general region of Santos comprises 9 cities and around 1.8 million inhabitants. The objectives of the study were to research the methodology used in prenatal care for pregnant women with syphilis between 2014 and 2016 in that region. Methods This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study in the medical records of 162 patients, between 2014 and 2016, in basic health units. The research was made by students from the 6 th year of medical school, and guided by Infectious Diseases Department' Chairman. The information was gathered through a previously developed questionnaire including age, prenatal assistance methods, time since diagnosis, time of sequential control, VDRL titer, and other treponemal tests, case conclusion, coinfections, medication used, and sexual partner treatment. These were later transcribed to a Microsoft Offi ce Excel chart for statistical analysis. Results Most pregnant women in this study (63.5 %) were between 18 and 30 years old, and 14.7 % were teenagers less than 18 years old. In six medical records there was no age stated.