GESTATIONAL AND CONGENITAL SYPHILIS: REPORTING AND REALITY IN A MUNICIPALITY OF EXTREME SOUTHERN BAHIA

Abstract

Gestational syphilis and congenital syphilis represent significant challenges for the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Despite the existence of protocols for reporting, screening, and treating gestational syphilis within SUS, underreporting and misclassification of cases remain persistent problems, leading to an increase in cases of congenital syphilis. This study aims to outline the epidemiological profile of gestational and congenital syphilis cases between 2022 and 2023 in the municipality of Eunápolis-BA and explore the prevalence of these conditions and the underreporting of cases. The choice of the subject is justified by the fact that it is a notifiable disease, which in recent years has seen a significant increase in the number of cases in Brazil and in the municipality of Eunápolis. The objective of the study is to understand the reality of the reported cases in the municipality, allowing for the proposal of future interventions to reduce the number of occurrences. Inconsistencies were found in the reported data, mainly related to the treatment and reporting of gestational and congenital syphilis. It was also observed that only 7 cases of children with congenital syphilis had been diagnosed during prenatal care, highlighting that the quality of prenatal care is still a predictive factor in the decline of these numbers.