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. 2025 Aug 5;15(1):28591.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-11884-0.

Factors related to adverse pregnancy outcomes of maternal syphilis in Nanning, Guangxi, China 2016-2020

Yuanjun Peng  1 , Jiangheng Li  1 , Mingxiao Wei  1 , Jinlu Wei  1 , Wei Zeng  1 , Wanting Tang  1 , Yongquan Huang  1 , Xing Tao  1 , Wu Jiang  2 , Liangqin Mao  3
Affiliations

Factors related to adverse pregnancy outcomes of maternal syphilis in Nanning, Guangxi, China 2016-2020

Yuanjun Peng et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Syphilis is a relatively common sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Its occurrence in pregnant women not only impacts their quality of life but also leads to various adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including the potential for congenital syphilis. This study sought to examine adverse pregnancy outcomes in offspring among population witl syphilis infection. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations between maternal syphilis infection and APOs, and to explore its stability through subgroup analysis. Our study population consisted of 1624 with syphilis in Nanning, Guangxi spanning from 2016 to 2020. Among these women, 1426 (87.81%) did not experience APOs, whereas 198 (12.19%) did. The mean age of the participants was 31.46 ± 6.08 years, with most women being first married, accounting for 77.03%. Notably, 53.08% women were belonged to the Zhuang ethnicity, and 39.16% were of Han nationality. 57.14% reported a prior syphilis infection, and 20.26% had a history of APOs with their children. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that being under 20 years of age (OR: 1.911, 95% CI 1.077-3.392), having an unknown titer prior to delivery (OR: 1.792, 95% CI 1.194-2.688), and undergoing non-standardized treatment (OR: 1.448, 95% CI 1.064-1.971) emerged as significant risk factors. The implementation of comprehensive preventative measures including early syphilis screening, eugenics assessment and standardized treatment and follow-up care for pregnant women with syphilis, is of great significance in reducing the incidence of APOs in this population.

Keywords: Adverse pregnancy outcome; Influencing factors; Maternal syphilis; Pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: All methods employed in this study were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations, ensuring the highest standards of ethical conduct and scientific rigor. Human or animal rights: The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Nanning Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Informed consent: All participants were provided informed consent during the study, and informed consent process of the subjects met the requirements of medical ethics.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sample size flow of the study participants in Nanning, Guangxi, China from 2016–2020.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest map of adverse pregnancy outcomes in syphilitic pregnant women.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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