Number of babies in Alberta born with syphilis is rising at an alarming rate, experts say

The province is new reporting sexually transmitted diseases shows that the number of babies in Alberta born with syphilis is rising at what experts say is an unacceptable and alarming rate.

In Alberta, the number of babies born with syphilis has risen dramatically, from 30.8 per 100,000 in 2018 to 169.1 last year.

Fifty babies — nearly a fifth of cases — were stillborn in 2018 and 2022, the report said.

Dr. Stephanie Cooper, an obstetrician in Calgary, has seen the devastating effects of syphilis firsthand during that time.

“It’s absolutely unbearable,” said Cooper, who recalled a syphilis-related stillbirth last year.

“It’s heartbreaking to see a woman lose a baby to a preventable cause.”

Syphilis can cause serious health problems and stillbirth.

Expert says more outreach is needed

Dr. Ameeta Singh, an infectious disease specialist from the University of Alberta, said testing for syphilis is a routine part of antenatal care, but Albertans struggling with substance use and unstable housing often don’t get that support.

“If we reach and treat them in the first half of pregnancy — in the first 20 weeks — we can pretty well prevent the infection from being passed on to the child,” Singh said.

“So the sooner we can test and treat, the better.”

Singh said rapid syphilis tests are available, and work is underway to get them to vulnerable Albertans.

“Every pregnant woman who has access to antenatal care is being offered routine testing for syphilis, so the fact that we’re seeing this now is really unacceptable,” Singh said.

More outreach is needed to bring the numbers down, Singh said.

In a statement, an Alberta Health spokesperson said it continues to monitor growing numbers of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections in the province, particularly the continued rise in infectious syphilis, which is on the rise again around the world.

“We continue to work with Alberta Health Services, the federal government and community organizations to explore strategies to facilitate testing and treatment,” Alberta Health spokesman Andrew Livingstone said in a statement.

The reasons for the increase are not fully known, but it is likely that several factors contributed to the increase, Livingstone said.

“Including, but not limited to, a decrease in public perception of risk, individuals not being diagnosed in a timely manner, dating apps becoming more popular and individuals feeling less comfortable accessing health services during the pandemic,” he said .

Livingstone said the government “would continue to make targeted investments to prevent infections and to provide comprehensive support to people living with these infections.”