Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2007 Oct;83(6):476-80.
doi: 10.1136/sti.2007.026187. Epub 2007 Aug 3.

Risk factors for syphilis infection among pregnant women: results of a case-control study in Shenzhen, China

Hua Zhou  1 , Xiang-Sheng Chen, Fu-Chang Hong, Peng Pan, Fan Yang, Yu-Mao Cai, Yue-Ping Yin, Rosanna W Peeling, David Mabey
Affiliations

Risk factors for syphilis infection among pregnant women: results of a case-control study in Shenzhen, China

Hua Zhou et al. Sex Transm Infect. 2007 Oct.

Abstract

Background: China has been experiencing a rapidly growing syphilis epidemic since the early 1990s, with the reported incidence of congenital syphilis increasing from 0.01 cases per 100,000 live births in 1991 to 19.7 cases per 100,000 live births in 2005. Detailed studies of risk factors for syphilis in pregnant women are needed to inform new preventive interventions.

Objective: To investigate factors associated with recent syphilis infection among pregnant women and recommend strategies for improved preventive interventions in the community.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted among women attending antenatal clinics in Shenzhen City, South China. Cases were antenatal clinic women testing positive for early syphilis, based on laboratory results, with those testing negative being controls. All participants completed the same anonymous questionnaire covering demographics, lifestyle, sexual behaviour, and sexual partnerships.

Results: 129 cases and 345 controls were recruited. Syphilis was significantly associated with unmarried status, less education, multiple sex partners, travel of sex partner in the past 12 months, a history of induced abortion, and previous sexually transmitted infections. Overall, there were no differences between syphilis-positive and negative women in household registration status (hukou), living district and duration in Shenzhen, monthly income, and age at first sex.

Conclusions: Many demographic and behavioural risk factors are associated with syphilis among pregnant women. In the government congenital syphilis control programme, comprehensive preventive interventions should be provided in all clinical settings in addition to the current procedures for syphilis screening among antenatal women.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None.

References

    1. NCSTD/CCDC [2006 National reports of epidemiological data on syphilis and gonorrhea] (in Chinese). Bull STI Prev Control 2007212–11.
    1. Chen Z Q, Zhang G C, Gong X D.et al Syphilis returns to China: results of the national surveillance program from the Chinese Center for STD Control, Nanjing, China. Lancet 2007369132–138. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lin C G, Gao X, Chen X S.et al China's syphilis epidemic: a systematic review of seroprevalence studies. Sex Transm Dis 200633726–736. - PubMed
    1. Ma Y S, Luo B, Cai Y M.et al analysis on epidemiology of syphilis from 1984 to 2003 in Shenzhen. South Chin J Dermato‐Venereol 20051265–67.
    1. Zhou H, Pan P, Hong F C.et al Risk factors in association with congenital syphilis: a case‐control study. Chin J Dermatol 200639681–684.

Publication types

MeSH terms