Risk factors for syphilis infection among pregnant women: results of a case-control study in Shenzhen, China

Abstract

Background: China has been experiencing a rapidly growing syphilis epidemic since the early 1990s, with the reported incidence of congenital syphilis increasing from 0.01 cases per 100 000 live births in 1991 to 19.7 cases per 100 000 live births in 2005. Detailed studies of risk factors for syphilis in pregnant women are needed to inform new preventive interventions. Objective: To investigate factors associated with recent syphilis infection among pregnant women and recommend strategies for improved preventive interventions in the community. Methods: A case-control study was conducted among women attending antenatal clinics in Shenzhen City, South China. Cases were antenatal clinic women testing positive for early syphilis, based on laboratory results, with those testing negative being controls. All participants completed the same anonymous questionnaire covering demographics, lifestyle, sexual behaviour, and sexual partnerships. Results: 129 cases and 345 controls were recruited. Syphilis was significantly associated with unmarried status, less education, multiple sex partners, travel of sex partner in the past 12 months, a history of induced abortion, and previous sexually transmitted infections. Overall, there were no differences between syphilispositive and negative women in household registration status (hukou), living district and duration in Shenzhen, monthly income, and age at first sex. Conclusions: Many demographic and behavioural risk factors are associated with syphilis among pregnant women. In the government congenital syphilis control programme, comprehensive preventive interventions should be provided in all clinical settings in addition to the current procedures for syphilis screening among antenatal women.

Syphilis among pregnant women in Juba, Souther Sudan

“…However these same factors and others with p-value ≤0.1 were subjected to multivariate analysis; and being a housewife, history of abortion or child death and history of partner travel were risk factors while attending antenatal clinic for previous pregnancy remained a protective factor. This is in agreement with study in Shenzhen, China (16). The study participants who reported history of frequent travel of their partner were more likely to be positive for syphilis than those with no history of travel by their partner.…”

“…The initial univariate analysis indicated that having low education, being a housewife, history of abortion or early child death and history of partner travel were risk factors for having syphilis; meanwhile attending antenatal clinic for previous pregnancy was found to be a protective factor (p <0.05). These findings are in agreement with several studies carried out in Nairobi (15) and in China (16). However these same factors and others with p-value ≤0.1 were subjected to multivariate analysis; and being a housewife, history of abortion or child death and history of partner travel were risk factors while attending antenatal clinic for previous pregnancy remained a protective factor.…”

“…There is a high tendency for the partners to travel to other towns and states in Sudan as they are more often than not the sole breadwinners for their families and have to seek employment out of town. This observation has also been reported in China (16).…”

Incidência da sífilis congênita no Brasil e sua relação com a Estratégia Saúde da Família

“…Therefore, the distribution of the investigated disease refl ects social inequalities in healthcare that have previously been observed by others in both Brazil 13,15,16 and other countries. 4,6,25 Inequalities in access to and the quality of prenatal care might somehow explain the higher exposure of children belonging to the less privileged classes to the risk of CS. This hypothesis is supported by data from Sinasc and reports by different authors, 1 which also point to greater barriers to prenatal care among black women and those with low levels of education.…”

SífiliS e GeStação: eStudo Comparativo de doiS períodoS (2006 e 2011) em população de puérperaS

“…Ano a doença e a falta de informações, o que dificulta a compreensão das particularidades da infecção (4,6,7,12) . Em ambos os períodos (2006 e 2011), a frequência de SC foi superior à preconizada pelo Ministério da Saúde, sendo o ideal a erradicação ou ao menos reduzir até um caso por mil nascidos vivos, meta de controle nacional (3) .…”