Syphilis - Congenital

Congenital Syphilis develops in the womb or at birth amongst babies born to mothers with secondary syphilis. Syphilis can cause miscarriages, stillbirths and premature births. Surviving babies left untreated can develop deformities, developmental delays, seizures, anemia, jaundice, rashes and fevers.

Symptoms of syphilis include deafness, a variety of facial disfigurements to the nose, mandible and mouth, enlarged livers, enlarged spleens, malformations of the teeth and swollen knees. If treated within the sixteenth week of pregnancy, congenital syphilis can be prevented.