Maternal syphilis rates surged 28% nationwide between 2022 and 2024, with stark racial disparities revealing a public health crisis that disproportionately affects minority communities. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows rates climbed from 280.4 to 357.9 cases per 100,000 births during this period.
American Indian and Alaska Native mothers face the most severe burden, with rates skyrocketing 52% to reach 2,145.4 per 100,000 births in 2024. This figure is more than eleven times higher than the rate among White non-Hispanic mothers, which stood at 188.2 per 100,000 births.
Black non-Hispanic mothers experienced a 30% increase, with rates rising to 887.6 per 100,000 births. This represents nearly five times the rate among White mothers. Hispanic mothers saw a 31% jump to 411.1 per 100,000 births, while Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander mothers had rates exceeding 1,000 per 100,000 births, though the change was not statistically significant.
These infections carry serious consequences for newborns. Mothers with syphilis can transmit the infection during pregnancy, causing congenital syphilis that leads to fetal and neonatal death, low birthweight, preterm birth, and brain and nerve disorders. A recent report found that inadequate testing and treatment during pregnancy contributed to nearly 90% of congenital syphilis cases in 2022.
The United States recorded its highest number of congenital syphilis cases since 1992 in 2023, underscoring an urgent need for improved prenatal care access and screening in communities most affected by these widening disparities.
See: “Health E-Stat 110: Change in the Maternal Syphilis Rate: United States, 2022–2024” (January 27, 2026)Â
