Since 2012, there has been a steep increase in the number of reported congenital syphilis cases in the United States, and the number of congenital syphilis cases reported in 2018 is the highest number reported since 1995. The CDC currently recommends that pregnant women be tested for syphilis at the first prenatal screening and that among those women considered to be at increased risk for contracting syphilis, they should be tested at 28 weeks gestation and at delivery. In addition, it has been suggested that persons taking PrEP may be at an increased risk of acquiring bacterial sexually transmitted infections. Therefore, CDC recommends that persons on PrEP be screened on a periodic basis for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
Engaging members from the State-University Partnership Learning Network (SUPLN) and Medicaid Medical Directors Network (MMDN), AcademyHealth’s Evidence-Informed State Health Policy Institute is collaborating with six HHS Region 4 states to conduct an analysis of recent Medicaid data to assess the number of syphilis tests that are performed among pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries as well as rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis testing among Medicaid beneficiaries who are taking PrEP.
This project was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $471,017.00 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.