Screening for Syphilis During Pregnancy in Turkey

• Main Authors: Yusuf Aytaç Tohma (Author), Hasan Energin (Author), Emel Ebru Özçimen (Author), Eser Çolak (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Medical Network, 2016-08-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1300-4751; 10.21613/GORM.2016.51
• Keywords: Antenatal care, Screening, Syphilis; Gynecology and obstetrics; RG1-991
• Source: Gynecology Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine, Vol 22, Iss 2 (2016)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of syphilis among patients at a tertiary referral center in Turkey and determine the need for antenatal syphilis screening based on the results. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study based on patient data obtained from a tertiary referral center in Turkey. Serological syphilis screening using the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) was performed on all pregnant women as a part of routine antenatal care at their first hospital visit during pregnancy. Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA) was used to confirm positive screening results for syphilis. RESULTS: Patients' mean age was 27.4 years. The incidence of positive syphilis serology was 0.013% (one patient), which was supported by a positive confirmatory test (0.013%).The TPHA-positive pregnant woman diagnosed with syphilis was treated with benzathine penicillin, and she gave birth to normal infants without any signs of congenital syphilis. CONCLUSION: Syphilis prevalence should be determined in each developing country with population-based studies. According to the prevalence of syphilis, each country should determine its own syphilis antenatal screening policies.