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According to new data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), maternal syphilis rates in the United States are still on the increase, part of a decade-long trend of rising cases. From 2022 through 2024, maternal syphilis rates increased 28% overall (from 280.4 cases per 100,000 births to 357.9 cases). The rate climbed 16% between 2022 and 2023 and an additional 10% from 2023 to 2024. Looking at the long-term trend, previous data showed that from 2016 to 2022, the rate climbed from 87.2 cases per 100,000 births to 280.4 cases—a 222% increase over the time period, according to a NCHS data brief. In the newly released report, researchers found rates rising across all maternal age groups, with the largest increases among those aged 35–39 years (36%) and 40 years or older (31%). While the rates are concerning across the entire country, some states are seeing a greater rise in cases and more impact of this public health issue than others.
UC opportunity: In urgent care, patients who present for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing would benefit from bundled-testing protocols to avoid gaps in care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends “co-testing” or simultaneous screening for multiple STIs—including syphilis, HIV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia—during a single visit, particularly for patients with risk factors. Read more about urgent care’s opportunity to close STI testing gaps in a way that makes business sense in the latest issue of JUCM: Missed Opportunities in STI Test Bundling