Syphilis screening during pregnancy.

Syphilis screening during pregnancy.

• A. Only screen in the third trimester.
• B. Early, universal screening during pregnancy; if not screened early in pregnancy, screen at the first available opportunity.
• C. Do not screen pregnant women.
• D. Screen only if symptoms are present.

Answer: (B)

Universal, early screening for syphilis during pregnancy is essential to prevent congenital syphilis. Testing all pregnant people at the first prenatal visit allows detection and treatment with penicillin before the infection can affect the fetus, reducing risks like stillbirth, premature delivery, and congenital syphilis. If the initial screening wasn’t done early, it’s still important to test at the first available opportunity to catch any infection that could harm the baby. Syphilis can be asymptomatic, so waiting for symptoms or limiting screening to the third trimester would miss many cases and miss chances to prevent fetal transmission. In practice, screening typically uses a non-treponemal test (like RPR or VDRL) with confirmatory treponemal testing, and treatment with penicillin is highly effective in preventing congenital infection.

Universal, early screening for syphilis during pregnancy is essential to prevent congenital syphilis. Testing all pregnant people at the first prenatal visit allows detection and treatment with penicillin before the infection can affect the fetus, reducing risks like stillbirth, premature delivery, and congenital syphilis. If the initial screening wasn’t done early, it’s still important to test at the first available opportunity to catch any infection that could harm the baby.

Syphilis can be asymptomatic, so waiting for symptoms or limiting screening to the third trimester would miss many cases and miss chances to prevent fetal transmission. In practice, screening typically uses a non-treponemal test (like RPR or VDRL) with confirmatory treponemal testing, and treatment with penicillin is highly effective in preventing congenital infection.