HI INDIA NEWS DESK
FOREST PARK, IL The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) launched the “Syphilis Stops with Me” campaign to raise awareness among women of childbearing age about preventing congenital syphilis through prenatal care, including testing and treatment for syphilis, a common STI. Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, Chief Operating Officer of CCDPH, emphasized that 90% of congenital syphilis cases could be avoided with timely intervention during pregnancy.
Congenital syphilis cases in suburban Cook County have nearly tripled, rising from 4 in 2020 to 11 in 2021, with 10 cases reported in 2022. Nationally, cases have increased tenfold since 2012, with over 3,700 babies born with syphilis in 2022. Minority groups, particularly Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities, are disproportionately affected, with babies in these groups up to eight times more likely to be born with syphilis compared to White infants.
The campaign, running from Sept. 30 to Nov. 24, 2024, aims to engage Black and Latinx women aged 18-44 who are pregnant or planning pregnancy. It will use social media, digital ads, reproductive health influencers, and educational materials at healthcare providers’ offices in targeted ZIP codes to spread the message.
