More babies being born with syphilis, which can be prevented with prenatal care

The number of babies born with syphilis — which can spread from a woman to her fetus during pregnancy — jumped 38% from 2012 to 2014, reaching the highest level since 2001, according to a report released Thursday.

Babies with syphilis face serious risks, including death. Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection, also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which released the report.

The overall number of babies born with syphilis is relatively small, with 458 infected infants in 2014, or 11.6 cases per 100,000 newborns, according to the report.

But the CDC considers syphilis in babies a "sentinel event" that indicates the overall strength of a health system.

Syphilis is almost entirely preventable, both in adults and babies. Adults and teens can avoid infection either by using condoms during sex, abstaining from sex or being with a monogamous partner. Giving penicillin to pregnant women prevents infection in 98% of newborns, according to the CDC.

In the study, nearly 22% of mothers got no prenatal care, and nearly 10% had no record of pregnancy care. More than 40% of women were not treated for syphilis, while 30% received inadequate care, the report said.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that all pregnant women get blood tests for syphilis and chlamydia, which may not cause obvious symptoms. The group recommends testing pregnant women for gonorrhea if they have risk factors for the disease, such as being age 25 or younger or living in an area where the disease is common.

Kevin Ault, a physician and spokesman for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, called the lack of adequate screening and care "very concerning."