The Gauteng Health Department has joined the World Health Organisation (WHO) in warning pregnant women of the dangers of an increase in syphilis infections - a sexually transmitted infection. It is estimated that syphilis infects 1% or more of antenatal care attendees.
Syphilis affects large numbers of pregnant women worldwide, causing serious health problems and even death to their babies. The department suggests that, unless testing and treatment of syphilis in pregnancy are universally available, over half of pregnancies in women with syphilis will result in an adverse outcomes.
The National prevalence of syphilis shows a 0.1% increase where the prevalence was 1.5% in 2010 to 1.6% in 2011, according to the National Antenatal Seroprevalence Survey (2012). In Gauteng there was a slight drop of 2.9% in 2009 to 2.0% in 2011.
Syphilis testing of all pregnant women is part of the recommended basic antenatal care (ANC) package recommended by WHO. However, not all women are tested for syphilis in pregnancy. In order to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of syphilis, the department aims to screen at least 95% of pregnant women for syphilis at first ANC visit. Untreated syphilis in pregnancy leads to adverse outcomes, including stillbirth, low birth weight /prematurity, neonatal death, and congenital disease in the new-born.
Syphilis also infects 5% or more of sex workers and men who have sex with men. The Health MEC Hope Papo says; "An important component of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) case management is notifying and treating sexual partners of infected patients. Counselling and behavioural interventions, such as condom use, offer primary prevention against STIs including HIV, as well as unintended pregnancies."
The MEC added that his department encourages pregnant women, in particular, to report to the nearest clinic once they miss a menstrual period so that they can receive appropriate treatment for all STIs and other underlying conditions. "The department will intensify campaign to encourage sex workers as well as men who have sex with men to visit clinics in order to be screened. We will also ready ourselves for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine rollout as announced by the Health Minister in his budget speech."
More on Syphilis:
Pregnant women who are infected with syphilis can transmit the infection to their fetus, causing congenital syphilis. Without treatment, these pregnant women will transmit the infection to their newborn, who may be stillborn, born early, born with a low birth weight, or congenitally infected as a result.
This department aims to:
- promote community awareness of the importance of early antenatal care;
- ensuring availability of trained antenatal care providers;
- improving the quality of antenatal-care provision;
- increase routine testing in pregnancy for conditions such as syphilis, HIV and anaemia;
- strengthen systems for partner notification cards and other supplies;
- encourage the involvement of partners of pregnant women; and
- reinforce common messages by intermediaries such as faith leaders, community leaders and women's organisations.
The department also calls for syphilis screening to be carried out whenever pregnant women are screened for HIV.
Enquiries:
Chris Maxon
Cell: 083 447 2869
