Townsend, CL;
Francis, K;
Peckham, CS;
Tookey, PA;
(2016)
Syphilis screening in pregnancy in the United Kingdom, 2010-2011: a national surveillance study.
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
10.1111/1471-0528.14053.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the national antenatal syphilis screening programme and provide evidence for improving screening and management strategies. DESIGN: National population-based surveillance. SETTING: United Kingdom (UK). POPULATION: All pregnant women screening positive for syphilis, 2010-2011. METHODS: Demographic, laboratory and treatment details for each pregnancy were collected from UK antenatal units (~210), along with follow-up information on all infants born to women requiring syphilis treatment in pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of women with newly or previously diagnosed syphilis among those with positive screening tests in pregnancy; proportion requiring treatment. RESULTS: Overall, 77% (1425/1840) of reported pregnancies were confirmed syphilis screen-positive. Of these, 71% (1010/1425) were in women with previously diagnosed syphilis (155 requiring treatment), 26% (374/1425) with newly diagnosed syphilis (all requiring treatment) and 3% (41/1425) required treatment but the reason for treatment was unclear. Thus 40% (570/1425) required treatment overall; of these, 96% (516/537) were treated (missing data: 33/570), although for 18% (83/456), this was not until the third trimester (missing data: 60/537). Follow up of infants born to treated women was poor, with at least a third not followed. Six infants were diagnosed with congenital syphilis; two mothers were untreated, three had delayed treatment and one had incomplete treatment (first trimester). CONCLUSION: Over 2 years, among pregnant women with confirmed positive syphilis screening results in the UK, a quarter had newly diagnosed infections and 40% required treatment. Despite high uptake of treatment, antenatal syphilis management could be improved by earlier detection, earlier treatment, and stronger links between healthcare teams. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: 25% of pregnant women screening positive for syphilis in the UK were newly diagnosed and 40% needed treatment.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Syphilis screening in pregnancy in the United Kingdom, 2010-2011: a national surveillance study |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1471-0528.14053 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14053 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Townsend, CL; Francis, K; Peckham, CS; Tookey, PA; (2016) Syphilis screening in pregnancy in the United Kingdom, 2010-2011: a national surveillance study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, which has been published in final form at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14053. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html#terms). |
| Keywords: | Congenital infection, epidemiology, pregnancy, surveillance, syphilis |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Genetics and Genomic Medicine Dept UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Population, Policy and Practice Dept |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1498370 |
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