NCHS - U.S. National Center for Health Statistics
01/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/26/2026 23:15
Change in the Maternal Syphilis Rate: United States, 2022—2024
by Elizabeth C.W. Gregory, M.P.H., and Danielle M. Ely, Ph.D.
Amid the decades-long syphilis epidemic in the United States (1,2), a previous report found that the maternal syphilis rate increased 222% from 2016 to 2022, from 87.2 to 280.4 per 100,000 births (3). A mother with syphilis can pass the infection on to her baby during pregnancy, resulting in congenital syphilis (4). A recent report also found that the lack of timely testing and adequate treatment during pregnancy contributed to nearly 90% of congenital syphilis cases in 2022 (5). Congenital syphilis can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes such as fetal and neonatal death, low birthweight, preterm birth, and brain and nerve disorders (4). In 2023, the United States recorded the highest number of reported cases of congenital syphilis since 1992 (2). This Health E-Stat examines changes in the maternal syphilis rate overall and by maternal race and Hispanic origin and age from 2022 to 2024.
The rate of maternal syphilis increased 16% from 2022 (280.4 per 100,000 births) to 2023 (324.6) and 10% from 2023 to 2024 (357.9), for a total increase of 28% from 2022 to 2024 (Figure 1, Table).
Article Metrics
The maternal syphilis rate rose for most race and Hispanic-origin groups from 2022 to 2024 (Figure 2, Table). The rate rose 52% for American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanic mothers (from 1,410.5 to 2,145.4 per 100,000 births), 31% for Hispanic mothers (313.8 to 411.1), 30% for Black non-Hispanic mothers (684.7 to 887.6), and 23% for White non-Hispanic mothers (152.8 to 188.2). No significant change in the rate was observed for Asian non-Hispanic (73.3 to 68.9) and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander non-Hispanic (713.4 to 1,004.9) mothers.
From 2022 to 2024, the maternal syphilis rate increased for all maternal age groups (Figure 3, Table). The rate rose 36% for mothers ages 35-39 (201.5 to 274.4), 31% for mothers age 40 and older (196.7 to 257.0), 30% for mothers ages 30-34 (229.6 to 299.0), 29% for mothers ages 20-24 (398.1 to 514.3), 26% for mothers ages 25-29 (301.6 to 379.2), and 13% for mothers younger than age 20 (418.6 to 474.2).
Data source and methods
This report uses birth certificate data from the National Vital Statistics System. Diagnostic information from the mother's medical records used to report maternal syphilis on the birth certificate (6,7) is not standardized and may differ from what other data systems use to report syphilis (3).
Maternal syphilis is a syphilis infection present at the start of pregnancy or a confirmed diagnosis during pregnancy with or without documentation of treatment (6). Documentation of treatment during the pregnancy is considered adequate evidence of infection in the absence of a documented diagnosis (6). Maternal syphilis rate is the number of live births to women with syphilis per 100,000 births. References to increasing trends are statistically significant at the 0.05 level and were assessed using the Cochran-Armitage test for trends. Differences between rates noted in the text are statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The race and Hispanic-origin groups shown follow the 1997 Office of Management and Budget standards (8).
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted infections surveillance 2022. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-statistics/media/pdfs/2024/11/2022-STI-Surveillance-Report-PDF.pdf.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted infections surveillance 2023. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/sti-statistics/media/pdfs/2025/09/2023_STI_Surveillance_Report_FINAL_508.pdf.
- Gregory ECW, Ely DM. Trends and characteristics in maternal syphilis rates during pregnancy: United States, 2016-2022. NCHS Data Brief. 2024 Feb;(496):1-8. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:145590.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About congenital syphilis. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/syphilis/about/about-congenital-syphilis.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/stdfact-congenital-syphilis.htm.
- McDonald R, O'Callaghan K, Torrone E, Barbee L, Grey J, Jackson D, et al. Vital signs: Missed opportunities for preventing congenital syphilis-United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023 Nov 17;72(46):1269-74.
- National Center for Health Statistics. Facility worksheet for the live birth certificate. 2016. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/facility-worksheet-2016.pdf.
- National Center for Health Statistics. User guide to the 2023 natality public use file. 2024. Available from: https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Dataset_Documentation/DVS/natality/UserGuide2023.pdf.
- Office of Management and Budget. Revisions to the standards for the classification of federal data on race and ethnicity. Fed Regist 62(210):58782-90. 1997.
Suggested citation
Gregory ECW, Ely DM. Change in the maternal syphilis rate: United States, 2022-2024. NCHS Health E-Stats. 2026 Jan;(110):1-6. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174632.
Table. Maternal syphilis rate, by race and Hispanic origin and age of mother:
United States, 2022-2024
United States, 2022-2024
| Characteristic | Rate per 100,000 births | ||
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Total1-3 | 280.4 | 324.6 | 357.9 |
| Race and Hispanic origin of mother: | |||
| American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic3 | 1,410.5 | 2,052.9 | 2,145.4 |
| Asian, non-Hispanic | 73.3 | 80.0 | 68.9 |
| Black, non-Hispanic3 | 684.7 | 786.6 | 887.6 |
|
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic |
713.4 | 932.8 | 1,004.9 |
| White, non-Hispanic3 | 152.8 | 174.4 | 188.2 |
| Hispanic3,4 | 313.8 | 358.7 | 411.1 |
| Maternal age5: | |||
| Younger than 20 | 418.6 | 473.8 | 474.2 |
| 20-24 | 398.1 | 469.5 | 514.3 |
| 25-29 | 301.6 | 346.6 | 379.2 |
| 30-34 | 229.6 | 262.7 | 299.0 |
| 35-39 | 201.5 | 241.0 | 274.4 |
| 40 and older | 196.7 | 230.4 | 257.0 |
1Significant difference between 2022 and 2023 (p < 0.05).
2Significant difference between 2023 and 2024 (p < 0.05).
3Significant increasing trend for 2022-2024 (p < 0.05).
4People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
5Significant increasing trend for all maternal age groups for 2022-2024 (p < 0.05).
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics System, natality data file.
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