Spectrum News: Syphilis cases are increasing in pregnant women
UC expert says early detection is critical
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of syphilis cases among pregnant women in Ohio nearly doubled between 2016 and 2022. Syphilis is a treatable bacterial infection that is spread through intimate contact.
Without treatment, the mother's health can be affected, and the child may develop birth defects or be stillborn. That is why medical professionals say it is important to get prenatal care as early as possible.
Spectrum News produced a story interviewing Meredith Pensak, MD of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Carl Fichtenbaum, MD of the Division of Infectious Diseases, both in the UC College of Medicine.
“We know that catching syphilis early in pregnancy and treating it can significantly decrease the risk of stillbirth,” said Pensak. “It can decrease the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and neonatal demise and death.”
Pensak, who is a member of the Hamilton County Congenital Syphilis Review Board, has been studying it for years and knows just how much of an impact it has had on her patients.
"We're seeing this increased rate of congenital syphilis of babies being born with syphilis and the issues that come with that," Pensak told Spectrum News.
Fichtenbaum says the issues become even more serious if a pregnant woman passes it on to her child in the womb.
"If it happens when the child is developing in the first or second trimester of pregnancy, there can be birth defects associated with it that are long-lasting and can not be reversed," said Fichtenbaum.
That's why Pensak said it's important to detect it early on during pregnancy.
"We know that a lack of prenatal care increases your risk of having congenital syphilis and these complications," Pensak said who added insurance issues for some is contributing to the problem.
"We see patients with unstable housing might not have access and we see that, in general, there has also been reduced public awareness," she said. "We know that catching syphilis early in pregnancy and treating it can significantly reduce the risk of still birth, it can decrease the risk of pre-term birth, it can decrease the risk of low birth rate, and it can decrease the risk of neonatal demise and death.
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's graduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
2021 University Recognition Ceremony honors student achievements
April 13, 2021
The University of Cincinnati recognizes students each year who have made significant service, leadership, and academic contributions to the UC community. These students exemplify the spirit of what it means to be a Bearcat.
UC Day of Giving a success
April 28, 2021
University of Cincinnati Day of Giving’s 24-hour challenge was a tremendous success this year, raising $2,219,197 with 3,232 gifts. The fourth annual UC Day of Giving raised its most money to date with alumni, donors, students, faculty and staff joining together to support UC and UC Health.
President picks exceptional talent
April 28, 2021
The University of Cincinnati 2021 Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence Awards honor six undergraduate scholars for scholarship, leadership, character, service and the ideals of the university. Awardees are spotlighted for exceptional academics, creativity, community service and innovation.
Grad students earn president's highest honor
April 28, 2021
The University of Cincinnati 2021 Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence Awards honor three graduate scholars for scholarship, leadership, character, service and the ideals of the university. Awardees are spotlighted for exceptional academics, creativity, community service and innovation.
GIVEHOPE and BSI Engineering Celebrate Ten Years of Driving Research
August 3, 2021
Years after two personal losses from pancreatic cancer, Cincinnati-based nonprofit GIVEHOPE and consulting firm BSI Engineering are celebrating a philanthropic partnership that has funded 13 pilot research projects at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center.
Finding community and building a future
July 9, 2021
As a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine student, Sarah Appeadu, MD, ’21, remembers journaling on the “3 Cs” that got her through medical school: Community, community, community. Now, when she lists the people who supported her through four years of training—the last year in a global pandemic—it keeps growing: her family, her church, her classmates, and the college’s Office of Student Affairs and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “I look back and it was such a crucial time to really be nurtured in that way,” she says. “I’m so thankful that I had those people. It shows being around the right people really mattered. That’s my same hope for residency even.”
UC to honor 2,079 grads at summer Commencement
August 2, 2021
UC celebrates the 2021 summer Commencement on Friday in two ceremonies at Fifth Third Arena. On Saturday, UC will recognize 2020 grads with an in-person Commencement celebration.
New York Times: Flint Weighs Scope of Harm to Children Caused by Lead in Water
February 1, 2016
Kim Dietrich, a professor of environmental health at UC's College of Medicine, is quoted in this story on the medical problems that could develop among the thousands of young children exposed to lead-contaminated water in Flint, Mich.
Cancer-Causing Gene Found in Plasma May Help Predict Outcomes for Patients
February 18, 2016
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have discovered that a human cancer-causing gene, called DEK, can be detected in the plasma of head and neck cancer patients.
UC Receives $1.9 Million to Study Pain
February 15, 2016
Jun-Ming Zhang, MD, of the UC College of Medicine, is the principal investigator of a $1.95 million grant to study the interacting roles of the sympathetic and sensory nervous and immune systems in back and neuropathic pain models.