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. 2019 Feb;41(2):90-96.
doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1676569. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Syphilis in Pregnancy: The Reality in a Public Hospital

Rafael Garcia Torres  1 , Ana Laura Neves Mendonça  1 , Grazielle Cezarine Montes  1 , Jacqueline Jácome Manzan  2 , João Ulisses Ribeiro  1 , Marina Carvalho Paschoini  1
Affiliations

Syphilis in Pregnancy: The Reality in a Public Hospital

Rafael Garcia Torres et al. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2019 Feb.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: The present study assessed epidemiological and obstetrical data from pregnant women with syphilis at the Hospital de Clínicas of the Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM, in the Portuguese acronym), describing this disease during pregnancy and its vertical transmission for future healthcare actions.

Methods: Records from pregnant women who had been admitted to the Obstetrics Department of the Hospital de Clínicas of the UFTM and were diagnosed with syphilis between 2007 and 2016 were reviewed. A standardized form was used to collect epidemiological, obstetric data and outcomes of congenital infection. The present research has been authorized by the Ethics Committee of the institution.

Results: There were 268 women diagnosed with syphilis, with an average age of 23.6 years old. The majority of the patients were from Uberaba. Inadequate prenatal care was observed in 37.9% of the pregnant women. Only 34.2% of the patients completed the treatment according to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health of Brazil, and 19.8% of the partners of the patients underwent adequate syphilis treatment; 37 (13.8%) couples (patients and partners) underwent correct treatment. Regarding the obstetric outcomes, 4 (1.5%) patients had a miscarriage and 8 (3.4%) had fetal losses (from the fetal loss group, 7 had no adequate treatment); 61 (25.9%) patients had premature births - this prematurity has been significantly correlated to inadequate or incomplete treatment in 49 (27.9%) patients, compared with 12 (13.0%) patients with premature births and adequate treatment (p = 0.006). The average live newborn weight was 2,840 g; 25.3% had a birth weight < 2,500 g; 74.2% had congenital syphilis, a data with heavy correlation to inadequate or incomplete prenatal care, prematurity, and low birth weight.

Conclusion: Public awareness policies on adequate prenatal care, intensification of serological screening, and early treatment of syphilis are needed, considering the rise of cases diagnosed during gestation and its potentially preventable deleterious consequences related to congenital transmission.

Objetivo: O presente estudo avaliou dados epidemiológicos e obstétricos de gestantes com sífilis no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), objetivando o conhecimento desta infecção no ciclo gravídico e a transmissão vertical para futuras ações em saúde pública. MéTODOS:: Foram revisados registros de gestantes admitidas no Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia do Hospital de Clínicas da UFTM, diagnosticadas com sífilis entre 2007 e 2016. Para a coleta de dados, utilizou-se um formulário padronizado enfocando aspectos epidemiológicos, obstétricos e infecção congênita. A presente pesquisa foi autorizada pelo Comitê de Ética da instituição.

Resultados: Obteve-se 268 gestantes diagnosticadas com sífilis, com idade media de 23,6 anos, sendo a maioria de Uberaba. A assistência pré-natal foi inadequada em 37,9% dos casos. O tratamento para sífilis, de acordo com as diretrizes do Ministério da Saúde do Brasil, foi realizado por 34,2% das gestantes e por 19,8% dos parceiros. Quanto aos desfechos obstétricos, observou-se que 4 (1,5%) pacientes evoluíram com abortamento e 8 (3,4%) com óbito fetal, das quais 7 não realizaram tratamento. Observou-se parto prematuro em 61 (25,9%) gestantes, e a prematuridade foi significativamente associada ao tratamento ausente/incompleto, com 49 (27,9%) casos, comparada a 12 (13,0%) casos nos quais o tratamento foi adequado (p = 0,006). Quanto aos recém-nascidos, o peso médio foi de 2.840 g, e 25,3% apresentaram peso < 2.500 g. Diagnosticou-se infecção congênita em 74,2%, dos casos, associada significativamente ao pré-natal inadequado, ao tratamento ausente/incompleto, à prematuridade e ao baixo peso ao nascer. CONCLUSãO:: Políticas públicas de conscientização sobre pré-natal adequado, intensificação de rastreamento sorológico e tratamento precoce da sífilis são necessárias, haja vista a ascensão dos casos diagnosticados na gestação e suas consequências deletérias potencialmente evitáveis relacionadas à transmissão congênita.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of pregnant women with syphilis between 2007 and 2016.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mothers with syphilis and babies with congenital infection correlated to the time of diagnosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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