Prevalence and Factors Correlated to Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes among Maternal Syphilis at Krathumbaen Hospital Samut Sakhon Province

Abstract

Background: Several studies have shown the increase of women infected with syphilis while pregnant, including infants born with complications from mothers infected with syphilis. However a few studies have reported the effects of syphilis infection on pregnancy outcomes in Thailand.Objective: To study the prevalence and factors associated with pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with syphilis.Method: A 3-year retrospective descriptive study (1st October 2018 – 30th September 2020) was conducted at Krathumbaen Hospital, Samut Sakhon, Thailand. Medical records of syphilis infected pregnant women and their infants were reviewed and assessed.Results: A total of 84 pregnant women with syphilis were found during the study period and mean maternal age was 22.12 ± 5.53 years. The prevalence of mothers infected with syphilis during pregnancy was 0.78 %. Eight infants were preterm birth and low birth weight (9.5%), 6 (7.1%) were dead fetus in utero, congenital syphilis and neurosyphilis was found to be equal in 4 (4.8%). Most of the 50 infants (59.5%) had no pregnancy complications. Factors associated with pregnancy complications were poor antenatal care (OR 5.64; 95% CI = 1.39, 22.73), 1st test VDRL titer ≥ 1: 8 (OR 2.63; 95% CI = 1.06, 6.49). Protective factors included treatment initiated in the 1st trimester (OR 0.25; 95% CI = 0.06, 0.99) and adequate maternal syphilis treatment (OR 0.16; 95% CI = 0.04, 0.66).Conclusion: Future efforts including quality antenatal care strategy, pregnant women accessing health care service in 1st trimester, routine screening of all pregnant women for syphilis as early as possible, immediate initiation of treatment if detected, should be done to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes.