Prenatal Syphilis Screening Rates: Are they Being Accurately Reported?

Prenatal syphilis screening, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, medical professional organizations, and public health authorities, is critical to preventing still births and serious birth defects in babies of affected mothers. A study published in the April issue of the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases reports that state Medicaid statistics, when used to determine screening rates, may seriously underestimate the number of expectant mothers being screened for syphilis.