Syphilis prevention in pregnancy: An opportunity to improve reproductive and child health in Kenya

Infection with maternal syphilis during pregnancy is a serious condition with dramatic impact on pregnancy outcome, including perinatal wastage and congenital syphilis. Primary prevention of congenital syphilis by antenatal case-detection and treatment of infected mothers is feasible and cost-effective. Yet the implementation of syphilis prevention activities is not effective in many third world countries, due to logistic and managerial obstacles.This paper describes the achievements and the constraints of the antenatal syphilis prevention programme in Nairobi, Kenya. The structural and technical problems and alternative strategies for the realization of an effective congenital syphilis prevention programme in an urban third world setting are discussed.