CDC: Adult STIs Decline; Congenital Syphilis Climbs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s provisional 2024 surveillance data show overall reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in U.S. adults fell 9% from 2023, but congenital syphilis — where pregnant people transmit syphilis to their newborns — rose for the 12th straight year to nearly 4,000 cases. Public‑health groups warn the rise in congenital syphilis reflects gaps in prenatal screening and threatens severe outcomes including stillbirth and lifelong disability, prompting calls for improved prenatal testing and prevention efforts nationwide.