MCH - Perinatologist Corner C.E.U/C.M.E.: Syphilis in Pregnancy: 12

Maternal Child Health ‹ Perinatologist Corner ‹ C.E.U./C.M.E. Modules

Perinatologist Corner - C.E.U/C.M.E. Modules

Syphilis in Pregnancy

Sponsored by The Indian Health Service Clinical Support Center

12. Other On-line Resources plus Patient Education

CDC: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2002

National Guidelines Clearinghouse

Many practice guidelines compiled by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality . Once at the link above, search for syphilis in pregnancy

PubMed
Once at the PubMed, search for: syphilis and American Indians

US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Guide to clinical preventive services . 2nd ed; Baltimore (MD): Williams & Wilkins; 1996. Scroll down to Infectious Diseases: Syphilis

USPSTF: RECOMMENDATION

Routine serologic screening for syphilis is recommended for all pregnant women and for persons at increased risk of infection recommendations on counseling to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

USPSTF: CLINICAL INTERVENTION

Routine serologic testing for syphilis is recommended for all pregnant women and for persons at increased risk for infection, including commercial sex workers, persons who exchange sex for money or drugs, persons with other STDs (including HIV), and sexual contacts of persons with active syphilis ("A" recommendation) . The local incidence of syphilis in the community and the number of sex partners reported by an individual should also be considered in identifying persons at high risk of infection. The optimal frequency for such testing has not been determined and is left to clinical discretion.

All pregnant women should be tested at their first prenatal visit. For women at high risk of acquiring syphilis during pregnancy (e.g., women in the high-risk groups listed above), repeat serologic testing is recommended in the third trimester and at delivery. Follow-up serologic tests should be obtained to document decline in titers after treatment. They should be performed using the same test initially used to document infection (e.g., VDRL or RPR) to ensure comparability.