2023-07-03 13:39:16
Fifty of these babies with syphilis were stillborn between 2018 and 2022, nearly a fifth of the 273 cases identified.
Health experts are worried and sounding the alarm. It’s absolutely excruciating, says Stephanie Cooper, an obstetrician from Calgary. She says she witnessed a stillbirth linked to syphilis last year. Watching a woman lose a baby to a preventable cause is heartbreaking.
According to the report, more generally, sexually transmitted infections are spreading at an alarming rate in Alberta. A total of 25,405 cases of STIs and HIV were reported in 2022 in the province. With 16,809 cases, chlamydia saw a 19.4% increase from 2021. HIV, meanwhile, saw a 17.2% jump in one year.
Raising awareness
According to Dr. Ameeta Singh, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Alberta, testing for syphilis is an integral part of prenatal care in Alberta. Every pregnant woman who accesses antenatal care is offered routine testing for syphilis. However, women struggling with substance abuse and unstable housing do not always receive this support.
If we get to them and treat them in the first half of pregnancy, the first 20 weeks, we can pretty much prevent the infection from being passed on to the infant, says Dr. Ameeta Singh.
The specialist says rapid syphilis tests are available and efforts are underway to make them available to vulnerable people in Alberta. However, more awareness-raising measures are needed to bring the numbers down.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Alberta Health says the province continues to monitor rising rates of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, particularly the continued rise in infectious syphilis, which is experiencing a resurgence around the world.
We continue to work with Alberta Health Services, the federal government and community agencies to explore strategies to facilitate testing and treatment, Alberta Health spokesperson Andrew Livingstone said in a statement.
Andrew Livingstone adds that the government will continue to make targeted investments to prevent infections and provide comprehensive supports for people living with these infections.
With files from Jennifer Lee
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