More babies born with syphilis in Texas than other parts of United States

HOUSTON – Texas was the state that had the most congenital syphilis cases in the United States with 680 cases, according to a 2021 report published in April by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Congenital syphilis (CS) occurs when a mother who has syphilis passes the infection to her child while she is pregnant. In the U.S., the number of congenital syphilis cases reportedly increased by 32%, and this led to 220 stillbirths and children’s deaths.

The Lone Star State ranked fourth alongside Mississippi on a list ranking the rates of CS cases.

Arizona, New Mexico and Louisiana were ranked first, second and third.

CS can result in a miscarriage, stillbirth or cause babies to weigh less than is deemed normal.

This can also affect children, who can suffer from deformed bones, severe anemia, skin rashes and other conditions.

The CDC’s data showed that more people reported having sexually transmitted infections between 2020 and 2021. About 2.5 million people had an STI in the United States.

What can families do if a baby has CS?

Infants need to receive treatment immediately. They might need to be in the hospital to get antibiotics for 10 days or might only need one antibiotic injection, according to the CDC.

For more information on preventing CS, click here.