While sexually transmitted disease rates for U.S. adults fell last year, syphilis in newborns continued to rise, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the provisional data from 2024, released Wednesday, the total number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis declined 9% from 2023, down a third consecutive year.
Gonorrhea cases declined for the third year in a row, while chlamydia and primary and secondary syphilis cases declined for the second year in a row.
Congenital syphilis, however, where moms pass the infection to their babies, increased for the 12th year in a row, with nearly 4,000 reported cases in 2024, the data showed.
“There were still more than 2.2 million reported STIs in 2024, and compared to a decade ago, overall cases are 13% higher; congenital syphilis is nearly 700% higher,” the report added.
In a statement from the National Coalition of STD Directors, a national public health membership organization, interim executive director Elizabeth Finley said the CDC data is a hopeful sign that the nation is making progress, but that there is more work to be done.
“The continued rise in congenital syphilis is a distressing indication that we are not doing enough to protect pregnant women and newborns from the deadly and preventable consequences of syphilis transmission during pregnancy,” Finley continued.
One reason for the rising numbers in this area could be a lack of screening. According to a recent CDC study, only 80% of pregnant women are getting screened for syphilis.
Congenital syphilis has the potential to cause tragic outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death and lifelong medical issues like vision or hearing loss, intellectual disability and more.
While the latest data is provisional, the CDC said it does not anticipate substantial major changes to rates and national trends once finalized.
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