title: Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of women with reactive syphilis serology in Alberta, 2002 to 2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the maternal characteristics, diagnosis, and pregnancy, and the neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with reactive syphilis serology in a Canadian cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective chart review of pregnant women in Alberta with reactive syphilis serology between 2002 and 2006. Clinical staging of syphilis in mothers and infants was determined using provincial and national surveillance criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-five pregnancies met the inclusion criteria. Thirty women were adequately treated pre-conception, 20 women had infectious syphilis (10 primary, 5 secondary, 5 early latent), 24 had late latent syphilis, and one had disease of unknown stage. Seven infants with congenital syphilis and one infant with presumed congenital syphilis were born to women with primary (n = 4), secondary (n = 2), early latent (n = 1), and unknown stage (n = 1) syphilis. Treatment was provided prior to delivery in one woman; five women did not access prenatal care. Four infants had long-term sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All infants with congenital syphilis were born to women with infectious syphilis who had limited prenatal care. Initiatives to reach women at high risk are required to decrease the incidence of congenital syphilis.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta Edmonton AB.
authors.forename: Sheila C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Caddy
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta Edmonton AB.
authors.forename: Bonita E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Alberta Health Services Edmonton AB.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta Edmonton AB.
authors.forename: Joan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada Ottawa ON.
authors.forename: Sabrina S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Plitt
authors.affiliation: Alberta Health Services-Calgary STD Clinic Calgary AB.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Read
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta Edmonton AB.
authors.forename: Ameeta E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013587:Syphilis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014210:Treponema pallidum; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins