Syphilis is curable, and passing it to a baby during pregnancy is largely preventable. Even so, far more US babies are now born with it than a decade ago. A Johns Hopkins study published November 11 in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that congenital syphilis among US birth hospitalizations rose 5.9-fold between 2012 and 2022. Rates went up in every demographic group, at every income level and in every type of hospital the researchers looked at.

This story matters to anyone who is dating, sexually active or thinking about starting a family, not only to people who are pregnant now. Here is what the study found, what the latest CDC numbers show and what helps break the chain.

What the study found

Researchers analyzed hospital records representing about 14.6 million birth hospitalizations in 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2022, drawn from a national database called the Kids' Inpatient Database. As the paper and a CIDRAP summary report:

• The rate of congenital syphilis climbed from 16.0 to 94.7 per 100,000 birth hospitalizations.
• The estimated number of affected newborns rose from about 597 in 2012 to 3,325 in 2022.
• The largest increase was among American Indian and Alaska Native newborns, whose rate rose about 21.5-fold, although the estimate is imprecise because the group is small.
• In 2022, rates were highest among babies from the lowest-income ZIP codes and those covered by public insurance. The West had the highest rate, while the South had the largest number of cases.

The true number is likely higher. The study counted only babies born alive in hospitals, so stillbirths and pregnancy losses caused by syphilis were not included. Indian Health Service hospitals, which handle about 10% of American Indian and Alaska Native births, were also left out.

Why the numbers keep rising

The researchers point to several likely causes: limited access to prenatal care, especially in rural areas; federal funding cuts to family-planning programs; and ongoing shortages of benzathine penicillin G (Bicillin L-A), the only recommended treatment for syphilis during pregnancy. They call for expanded prenatal screening, better access to timely treatment and a reliable drug supply, writing that it is "critically important to reverse the rise."

What the newest CDC data show

The study's data stop in 2022, but national surveillance shows the problem has not reversed. CDC provisional data released in September 2025 reported nearly 4,000 cases of newborn syphilis in 2024, the 12th straight year of increases. CDC says that is the highest number reported in a single year since 1994. There was some good news in the same release: the rise slowed to about 2% over 2023, and primary and secondary syphilis, the most infectious stages, fell nearly 22% in 2024 after years of increases.

We covered the broader trend earlier this year in CDC Reports Continued Rise in Syphilis Cases Across the United States, and the same pattern is showing up abroad. See Canada's syphilis rate rose fourfold in a decade.

Why this matters if you are dating

Congenital syphilis starts with adult syphilis. Every baby born with it reflects an infection in a parent, and often a partner, that was not found or not fully treated in time. A few facts from the CDC's congenital syphilis guidance are worth knowing for any relationship:

• You can have syphilis and not know it. It may cause no symptoms, very mild symptoms or symptoms that look like other illnesses.
• Partners matter. CDC says that if someone tests positive, it is important that their sex partner or partners also get treated. Otherwise the infection can come right back.
• Having syphilis once does not protect you. People can get it again even after successful treatment.
• A past negative test is not enough in pregnancy. CDC advises getting tested again when you become pregnant, even if you were tested before.

For couples living with HIV or herpes, syphilis testing belongs in the same routine conversation as viral load and outbreak plans. Our guide to how often to get tested for STDs covers common screening schedules, and our explainer on what PrEP and doxyPEP do not protect against is a reminder that HIV prevention alone does not prevent syphilis.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy

• Ask about a syphilis test at your first prenatal visit. CDC recommends testing at the first visit, and says some people should be tested again at the start of the third trimester and at delivery. Ask your clinician whether that applies to you.
• Bring your partner into the plan. Testing and, if needed, treatment for partners helps protect against reinfection during pregnancy.
• Follow up after treatment. CDC notes that follow-up testing is needed to make sure treatment worked.
• Know where to go. If you do not have a regular clinician yet, local health departments and community clinics often offer low-cost STI testing. The CDC's GetTested locator lists sites by ZIP code.

Living with HIV and planning a family? Our guide to having a healthy pregnancy with HIV and our answers to common worries about pregnancy and STIs are good places to start.

The bottom line

Nearly every case of congenital syphilis is a missed chance to test and treat. Routine testing, honest conversations with partners and timely prenatal care are what break the chain. None of it is about blame: syphilis is common, curable and nothing to be ashamed of.

Looking for people who understand dating with an STI? Explore STD dating on MeetPositives.

Sources

• Yang P, Zhu X, Patel EU, Quinn TC, Hamill MM, Tobian AAR, Grabowski MK. "National Trends in Congenital Syphilis Among US Newborns, 2012–2022." Clinical Infectious Diseases, published online November 11, 2026. doi:10.1093/cid/ciag588.
• CIDRAP (Laine Bergeson). "Congenital syphilis rates soared in US newborns from 2012 to 2022." November 2026.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "CDC Reports Latest National Data on Syphilis in Newborns and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)." September 24, 2025.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About Congenital Syphilis."

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Talk with a licensed health care provider about your own situation.