U.S. syphilis cases in newborns see 10-times increase over decade

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 3,700 babies in the United States were born with syphilis in 2022, which was more than 10 times the number in 2012, according to new data released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The increase in newborn syphilis follows rising syphilis cases among women of reproductive age combined with social and economic factors that create barriers to high-quality prenatal care, and ongoing declines in the prevention infrastructure and resources, according to CDC.