The number of babies born with syphilis rose from 362 in 2013 to 918 in 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Tuesday.(Photo: Orbon Alija, Getty Images)

New cases of babies born with syphilis have increased by 154% since 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a trend that emphasizes the need for mothers to receive prenatal care and for the medical community to be deadly.

The number of babies born with syphilis rose from 362 in 2013 to 918 in 2017, the CDC reported Tuesday. Cases of congenital syphilis have occurred in 37 states, mainly in the south and west.

If transmitted to a newborn, syphilis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or death. For survivors, this can lead to an assortment of physical and mental health problems for the baby.

The disease can be cured with antibiotics, but pregnant women with untreated syphilis are at significant risk of transmitting the infection to their newborns.

David C. Harvey, executive director of STD's National Coalition of Directors, described the wave as "systemic failure."

"We lack pregnant women in the United States," he said. "We see nearly 1,000 babies born with syphilis that can easily be prevented."

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Harvey said the US has virtually eradicated mother-to-new-born HIV transmission, thanks in part to the federal Ryan White Part D program, which funds community-based programs to care for HIV-positive pregnant women.

His organization wants a similar program to prevent the transmission of syphilis from mother to child.

Harvey said that pregnant women should be tested for syphilis as early as possible and throughout their pregnancy.

According to the CDC, mothers of one in three babies born with syphilis in 2016 were tested during their pregnancy. However, these mothers were infected after being screened or not treated in time to avoid transmitting the infection to the baby.

Last month, preliminary figures reported by the CDC showed that new cases of the most common treatable sexually transmitted diseases – chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis – climbed nearly 10% in 2017, reaching record levels.

These infectious diseases continued their rise for four years. Experts cite the change in sexual behavior and lack of awareness.

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