Routine antenatal screening for syphilis in Lothian: a study of the results 1988 to 1994.

A retrospective study was carried out of the cases of positive syphilis serology detected by routine antenatal screening within Edinburgh (and surrounding district) over the six years 1988 to 1994. The study demonstrated a low incidence of syphilis with only 15 pregnancies in 58,445 screened. In eight cases serology and history were suggestive of late latent syphilis and in the remainder of previous infection which had been treated. All women were delivered of liveborn infants at term without stigmata of congenital syphilis. Lack of identifiable risk factors in women with positive serology suggests that routine rather than selective screening should continue.