I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant With Syphilis, Now My Baby’s Sick

When the Rash Wasn’t “Just Baby Acne”

Ty, 29, remembers the day her baby’s skin changed. “At first it looked like heat rash. Then it spread. Her nose started running, yellow stuff, not snot. She wouldn’t nurse. I thought she had a cold. Then her pediatrician sent us straight to the hospital.”

By the time doctors diagnosed congenital syphilis, Ty’s baby had lesions on her palms and soles, swollen liver, and signs of bone damage. “They told me she’d need IV antibiotics for 10 days,” Ty says. “I broke down. I’d tested negative for everything. Or so I thought.”

Ty isn’t alone. According to the CDC, cases of congenital syphilis in the U.S. surged over 755% between 2012 and 2022. Most involve birthing parents who had no symptoms, or were never re-tested later in pregnancy.

There’s no single sign of syphilis in newborns, which is what makes it so dangerous. Symptoms can be delayed or mistaken for colic, eczema, or harmless skin issues. Here are the most common signs:

• Skin rash: Especially on the palms and soles, but can appear anywhere
• Snuffles: Persistent, bloody or thick nasal discharge (not a cold)
• Low birth weight: Or failure to thrive in early infancy
• Liver and spleen swelling: Jaundice, belly bloating, pale stools
• Bone abnormalities: Pseudoparalysis or refusal to move limbs
• Neurological symptoms: Seizures, poor feeding, limpness (in severe cases)

These symptoms may show up immediately, or weeks after birth. That delay is why congenital syphilis is called “the great imitator” in babies, too.

People are also reading: Can You Get an STD from a Toilet Seat? Separating Myth from Reality

“But I Got Tested…” , When Screening Isn’t Enough

Most pregnant people are screened for syphilis in the first trimester. But here’s the hard truth: if you test negative early and get exposed later, there’s often no follow-up unless you ask, or live in a state that mandates third-trimester retesting (many don’t).

“I had no symptoms. Nothing. No sores, no rash,” says Jasmin, 34.

“I thought I was safe. No one told me I should get tested again. My OB said my labs were clear. That was in month three.”

Her son was diagnosed at eight weeks old after failing to gain weight. “They asked me if I had sex with someone new during pregnancy. I said yes. I was honest. But I didn’t think it mattered.”

In many states, prenatal care providers aren’t required to retest unless patients are considered “high risk.” This creates a dangerous gap for people who:

• Have new partners during pregnancy
• Are in non-monogamous relationships
• Live in high-incidence areas
• Use substances or are unstably housed

But you shouldn’t have to meet any of those “risk” criteria to protect your baby. Syphilis doesn’t care about stigma. It only cares if it can cross the placenta.

How Syphilis Slips Through the Cracks, Even in "Good" Care

Let’s be real: most pregnant people want to do everything right. But when it comes to syphilis during pregnancy, “doing everything right” sometimes isn’t enough. The system doesn’t always catch it. And the shame that follows, when something goes wrong, lands squarely on the birthing parent’s shoulders.

Here’s what they don’t tell you at your first prenatal visit:

• Syphilis can lie dormant: You might have zero symptoms, even if you’re infectious.
• Testing early isn’t foolproof: If you contract syphilis after your first trimester test, it won’t show up unless you retest.
• Stigma silences questions: Many parents don’t ask for retesting because they feel embarrassed to admit new partners or exposure.

“I didn’t even know what syphilis was,” says Dani, 27. “I thought it was some old-timey disease. I hadn’t even heard about congenital syphilis until my daughter was in the NICU. Then I was like, wait, what do you mean I gave this to her?”

It’s not that these parents failed. It’s that no one told them they could still be at risk. That’s why congenital syphilis is rising, not because people are “irresponsible,” but because the system assumes early testing is enough.

Check Your STD Status in Minutes

Test at Home with Remedium
7-in-1 STD Test Kit

Claim Your Kit Today

Save 62%

For Men & Women

Results in Minutes

No Lab Needed

Private & Discreet

Order Now $129.00 $343.00

For all 7 tests

The Hard Numbers: Congenital Syphilis Is Back, and Worse

Let’s talk facts. In 2022 alone, the CDC reported over 3,700 cases of congenital syphilis in the U.S., a 32% increase from the year before. In California and Texas, the rates have quadrupled in five years. Most affected infants were born to people who received some prenatal care but weren’t tested, or weren’t retested, in time.

According to a 2022 study in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, over 50% of congenital syphilis cases could have been prevented with third-trimester testing and timely treatment. That’s thousands of babies who didn’t have to suffer.

Some were stillborn. Others were born with irreversible damage. Many survived, but not without early pain, invasive treatment, and a terrifying start to life.

Here’s what’s at stake when syphilis goes undetected in pregnancy:

• Stillbirth: Occurs in up to 40% of untreated cases
• Preterm birth: Linked to placental infection and fetal growth restriction
• Organ damage: Liver, brain, and eye involvement can occur
• Bone deformities: Including saber shins, frontal bossing, or saddle nose
• Developmental delays: Especially if the infection goes untreated post-birth

None of this is meant to scare, it’s meant to illuminate. The fear of stigma or judgment is a public health risk. Silence enables transmission. Awareness saves lives.

Here’s what we don’t talk about enough: shame delays care. Especially around STDs in pregnancy. Especially in people socialized to feel “dirty” for asking to be tested twice. Especially for queer, trans, BIPOC, or low-income patients who already face healthcare bias.

“I told my OB that I had a new partner during pregnancy. She looked at me weird,” says Sky, 22.

“I didn’t ask to be tested again because I felt judged. I hate that I stayed quiet. Now I don’t care about judgment, I care that my baby’s okay.”

Healthcare stigma kills. We need a shift in how we talk about sexual health in pregnancy, one where testing isn’t a confession, it’s just care. One where prevention doesn’t depend on self-advocacy alone.

Until that shift happens, we have to empower ourselves. That means knowing the symptoms. Knowing your rights. And knowing that testing, whether at a clinic or at home, is your best protection.

Is It Too Late to Test After Birth?

One of the most common (and heartbreaking) questions parents ask after a congenital syphilis diagnosis is: “Is it too late to do anything?” The answer: no.

If your baby is already born and you’re just now learning about syphilis risks, you can still test, treat, and protect both yourself and your infant. In fact, early detection and antibiotics, even after birth, can prevent long-term complications if administered quickly.

Here’s what to do if you’re concerned:

• Get tested ASAP: Syphilis blood tests are fast, affordable, and accurate. A positive result doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent, it means you caught it in time to stop further harm.
• Ask for a pediatric STD workup: If your baby is showing any symptoms (rash, nasal discharge, weight issues), push for testing and bloodwork.
• Request treatment: Penicillin is the go-to treatment and is safe during pregnancy and postpartum. Babies with confirmed congenital syphilis typically receive 10 days of IV antibiotics.
• Test your partner(s): Syphilis often spreads silently. If you have it, someone you’ve had sex with likely does too, even if they feel fine.

Important: If your OB or pediatrician brushes off your concerns, push harder. You deserve to be heard, and your baby deserves every possible safeguard.

People are also reading: Can You Date Someone with an STD and Stay Safe? A Complete Guide

How to Talk to Your Doctor Without Feeling Judged

Asking for an STD test during or after pregnancy can feel like a confession. But it’s not. It’s just smart care. If you’re scared to bring it up, or if your provider has already made you feel uncomfortable, try these scripts:

• “I’d like to be re-tested for STDs, including syphilis, just to be safe.”
• “I’ve recently learned about congenital syphilis and I want to rule it out.”
• “I had a new partner during pregnancy and wasn’t retested. Can we run that panel again?”
• “My baby is showing some symptoms and I want to make sure it’s not STD-related.”

If your provider resists or gaslights you, you are allowed to walk away. You are allowed to get a second opinion. You are allowed to test yourself privately.

This at-home syphilis test kit can give you peace of mind without the awkward conversations. Just a finger prick, mailed discreetly, with results in minutes. Peace of mind is one test away.

What If I Gave My Baby an STD and Didn’t Know?

This is the question that hits like a freight train at 3AM, after the pediatrician raises an eyebrow, after you Google “baby rash syphilis,” after you hold your infant and feel a wave of guilt you can’t name.

It’s the question that leaves you staring at the ceiling, wondering if your body, your choices, your past, somehow betrayed the person you love most in this world.

But here’s what no one tells you:

You didn’t fail. What failed was a healthcare system that didn’t give you the full picture. A provider who didn’t test you again. A culture that taught you STDs are shameful, not medical. A system more focused on judgment than prevention.

You didn’t know. Because no one told you what to watch for. Because syphilis is sneaky. Because sometimes it doesn’t itch, burn, blister, or say hello. It just... hangs out, silently. Until it doesn’t.

And you cared enough to ask. To Google. To cry. To read this far. That alone makes you a damn good parent.

Let’s talk truth: newborns with congenital syphilis can and do recover. Especially if it’s caught early. Some need antibiotics and a few extra checkups. Others might need more support, specialists, therapies, early interventions. But long-term, many thrive.

Even in tough cases, babies are resilient. And medicine is powerful. And you? You’re stronger than you feel right now.

If your baby has already been diagnosed, it’s okay to grieve. To rage. To sob in the parking lot. But don’t stay in that grief. Use it. Turn it into advocacy. Into follow-ups. Into questions and action and protection. Because you are not powerless here.

If you’re still in the “what if” stage, get tested. At home or at a clinic. Rule it in or out. This test takes minutes. The peace of mind? That sticks around.

Check Your STD Status in Minutes

Test at Home with Remedium
3-in-1 STD Test Kit

Claim Your Kit Today

Save 53%

For Men & Women

Results in Minutes

No Lab Needed

Private & Discreet

Order Now $69.00 $147.00

For all 3 tests

FAQs

1. Can I really have syphilis and not know it?

Yep. That’s the wild part. Syphilis can be completely silent, no sores, no rash, no clue. Especially in the early stages. A lot of people only find out because a blood test catches it, or because a doctor tells them their baby’s symptoms might be connected.

2. What does congenital syphilis look like in a newborn?

It can show up in sneaky ways. Think: a weird rash on their butt that won’t go away, a runny nose that’s not just snot (it's thick or bloody), or a baby who’s just not gaining weight like they should. Sometimes they seem floppy or refuse to move their arms, like they’re sore. And sometimes… everything seems fine until it suddenly isn’t.

3. If I tested negative early in pregnancy, I’m good, right?

Not always. You could’ve been exposed after that test. Or your infection was too new to show up in your bloodwork at the time. That’s why a second test later in pregnancy is so important, but a lot of people never get offered one.

4. Can syphilis really hurt a baby that much?

Unfortunately, yes. If it crosses the placenta, it can affect almost every part of the baby’s body, skin, bones, brain, liver, lungs. Some babies are stillborn. Others are born sick and need treatment right away. The good news? When caught early, it’s totally treatable and many babies go on to be perfectly healthy.

5. Do I have to go to a clinic to get tested?

Nope. You can test yourself at home, on your own terms, no awkward conversations. This rapid syphilis test uses a finger prick and gives results fast. Discreet, affordable, and no one side-eying you in the waiting room.

6. Is this my fault? Did I give my baby an STD?

That’s a heavy one. And the answer is: no, it’s not your fault. The blame doesn’t belong on you, it belongs on a healthcare system that didn’t test you again, didn’t explain the risks, or didn’t take your concerns seriously. You’re doing your best with what you were given.

7. How long does treatment take, for me and for my baby?

For adults, it’s often just one shot of penicillin. That’s it. For babies, it’s usually a 10-day round of IV antibiotics in the hospital. It sounds intense, but it works. And if it prevents long-term damage? Totally worth it.

8. What if my baby seems fine? Should I still worry?

It’s possible for babies to look perfectly healthy at birth and still have syphilis simmering under the surface. That’s why testing is so important, even if nothing looks “off.” Catch it early, treat it fast, and you avoid the scary stuff down the line.

9. Can I give syphilis to my baby through breastfeeding?

Not through the milk itself, no. But if you’ve got open syphilitic sores on your breast or nipple (rare, but possible), there’s a risk through skin contact. If you’re unsure, ask your provider or test at home and clear the doubt.

10. Okay...but what now?

Take a breath. You’ve got options. Get tested (again, if needed). Talk to your doctor, or fire them and find one who listens. If you're scared to walk into a clinic, start with an at-home test. You are not powerless. You are not alone. And no matter what, you and your baby deserve care, not shame.

You Are Not Alone, And You Are Not Dirty

If you’re still reading this, chances are you’re scared. Maybe you just learned about congenital syphilis. Maybe your baby has symptoms and your brain won’t stop spiraling. Or maybe you’re quietly wondering if something that happened months ago, something you didn’t even think twice about, could be affecting your newborn now.

Wherever you are in this, let this land: You are not dirty. You are not reckless. You are not a bad parent.

You are human. Syphilis doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care about gender, relationship status, sexual history, or intentions. It can hide, it can reappear, and it can pass silently. What matters now isn’t what happened before, it’s what you do with the knowledge you have today.

And today, you know more than most people ever will about what congenital syphilis looks like, how it’s passed, and how to stop it.

Testing is love. Treatment is protection. Awareness is power.

Order your rapid test today, results in minutes. Show up for your baby. Show up for yourself.

Sources

1. About Congenital Syphilis – CDC

2. Congenital Syphilis: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment – Cleveland Clinic

3. Syphilis in Pregnancy – March of Dimes

4. Mother-to-Child Transmission of Syphilis – WHO

5. Maternal and Congenital Syphilis – Health.mil