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Congenital SyphilisCongenital Syphilis Congenital syphilis is a problem in parts of the world where women do not receive prenatal care. T. pallidum can be transmitted by an infected mother to the fetus in utero. In untreated cases stillbirth occurs in 19% to 35% of reported cases, 25% of infants die shortly after birth, 12% are without symptoms at birth, and 40% will have late symptomatic congenital syphilis. The fetus is at greatest risk when maternal syphilis is of less than 2 years in duration. The ability of the mother to infect the fetus diminishes but never disappears in late latent stages It can however occur at any stage of infection in any untreated or inadequately treated mother. The risk of fetal infection decreases after the early stages. Infection of the fetus before the fourth month of gestation is rare. Treatment of the mother during the first 4 months of pregnancy usually protects the fetus from infection. Thereafter abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, neonatal disease, or latent infection are all possible outcomes. |