The number of babies born with syphilis in the United States continued to climb last year, even as overall cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) fell for the third consecutive year, according to new figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Provisional CDC data show that total STI cases dropped 9% in 2024 compared with 2023, marking a rare positive trend in public health. However, nearly 4,000 cases of congenital syphilis were recorded in 2024, extending a 12-year streak of increases. The number represents a nearly 700% jump since 2015, when fewer than 500 cases were reported.
Although the year-on-year rise was relatively modest—just under 2%—health officials remain alarmed. “It’s promising that the rate of increase is slowing, but the rising case numbers are still concerning,” said Dr. Bradley Stoner, director of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention.
Congenital syphilis occurs when an untreated mother passes the infection to her baby during pregnancy or delivery. The disease can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe complications such as organ damage, blindness, deafness, and even death. Unlike many other infections, it is preventable if syphilis is identified and treated during pregnancy.
Experts say the resurgence of congenital syphilis highlights longstanding problems in U.S. health care. Reductions in STI services, poverty, lack of insurance, and uneven access to prenatal care have all contributed to missed opportunities for prevention. Federal funding for STI prevention has fallen sharply since the early 2000s, leaving local health systems struggling to cope.
“Pregnant people’s access to preventive syphilis care varies widely,” said Elizabeth Finley, interim executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors. “You get this perfect storm of people who aren’t getting enough prenatal care to begin with, and providers who may be seeing syphilis for the first time in their careers.” She added that intermittent drug shortages have further complicated treatment efforts.
Despite the challenges, the CDC noted some areas of progress. Cases of primary and secondary syphilis—the most infectious stages—dropped nearly 22% for the second straight year. Gonorrhea and chlamydia cases also continued to fall, with officials crediting greater awareness, prevention tools such as self-tests, and the use of antibiotics like doxycycline to reduce infection risks.
“The data do suggest that we may be turning the corner on STIs,” Stoner said. “But the fact that congenital syphilis is still a major problem tells us that we have to accelerate progress. These are preventable infections, and early intervention is key.”
The CDC recommends that all pregnant women be tested for syphilis three times during pregnancy. Health officials also urge people of reproductive age to get tested and discuss STI risks with their partners.
Finley said more investment and coordination across government agencies are urgently needed. “These cases don’t happen in a bubble,” she noted. “They reflect the broader problem of high STI rates in the U.S., and we need a much more intentional effort to address it.”
