Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI).  It can cause minor symptoms at first, like painless sores on the genitals, rectum, or mouth. You can have syphilis and not know it. Syphilis is curable with antibiotics. But without treatment, it can cause serious health problems. It can damage your heart, brain, muscles, bones and eyes.

Congenital syphilis is when a baby is born infected with syphilis. The only way your unborn baby can get congenital syphilis is if you have syphilis and it passes it to your baby.

Important: If you have syphilis and it isn’t treated, it can cause serious problems for your baby, including death.

Syphilis is 100% curable with antibiotics. But, if you do not get treated, congenital syphilis can cause problems with your pregnancy, such as:

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth (when a baby dies in the womb after
  20 weeks of pregnancy)
• Premature birth

It can also cause your baby to:

• Die within the first 28 days of life
• Have a low birth weight
• Have deformed bones and/or enlarged organs
• Have vision and hearing problems

This only happens if you don’t receive treatment for syphilis. This is why going to your prenatal visits and getting tested for STIs is so important. Treatment before 26 weeks of pregnancy leads to the best outcomes.

You should be tested 3 times during pregnancy:

• at your first doctor’s appointment or as soon as possible in your pregnancy
• during your third trimester
• at delivery

Remember: If you test positive, make sure you get treated right away. Also make sure your partner gets tested and treated so you don’t get it again.