Updated SA Perinatal Practice Guideline: Syphilis in Pregnancy and the Neonate

Country SA PHN Newsletter May 2025

The South Australian Perinatal Practice Guideline: Syphilis in Pregnancy and the Neonate has been updated. Communicable Diseases Control Branch (CDCB) have worked with HealthPathways SA to update the Syphilis pathway to reflect these changes including the following updates. 

Universal repeat antenatal screening for syphilis is now recommended on three occasions in all pregnancies. 

Syphilis screening should be performed as part of routine antenatal testing, at: 

• the first antenatal visit 
• 26-28 weeks gestation 
• 36 weeks gestation.  

These changes have been made in response to a rise in syphilis cases among women in South Australia, and subsequent increases in cases of syphilis during pregnancy.  

Congenital syphilis occurs when syphilis is vertically transmitted during pregnancy and is associated with high rates of infant mortality, preterm birth and severe disability.  

These guidelines are aligned with new national minimum standards for antenatal syphilis screening, as part of Australia’s strategic response to the syphilis epidemic. 

Antenatal care providers are encouraged to update patient management systems to prompt screening per guidelines. 

Access the pathway Syphilis - Community HealthPathways South Australia and register for individual login. 

Further call to action from the CDCB:

• Familiarise yourself with the new Guidelines. Offer testing to all your pregnant patients at least three times per the guidelines. 
• For more information, contact [email protected] 

Published on: May 6, 2025