Fetal anemia as a signal of congenital syphilis.

Abstract

An upsurge in syphilis has been observed almost everywhere over the past decade. The mother's clinical presentation is often uninformative. The diagnosis of maternal syphilis infection is most often based on serologic tests that allow early Extencilline treatment. Syphilis ultrasound findings are non-specific, and delay before treatment can be decisive for prognosis. Fetal anemia is a physiological consequence of severe infection. We confirmed that syphilis can be suggested non-invasively by MCA-PSV measurements in a context of ascitis or atypical hydrops in the absence of usual causes. It is therefore important to perform maternal TPHA/VDRL serology if fetal anemia is suspected. In association with Extencilline treatment, intra uterine transfusion can limit consequences of infection. Reduced fetal movements and non-reactive fetal heart rate may prefigure acute perinatal complications or stillbirth.

• Authors: Guillaume Macé, Vanina Castaigne, Aurore Trabbia, Virginie Guigue, Evelyne Cynober, Anne Cortey, Valérie Lalande, Bruno Carbonne
• Journal: The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians (J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med) Vol. 27 Issue 13 Pg. 1375-7 (Sep 2014) ISSN: 1476-4954 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24134545 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Anemia (microbiology)
• Ascites (microbiology)
• Female
• Fetal Diseases (diagnosis, microbiology)
• Heart Rate, Fetal
• Humans
• Pregnancy
• Syphilis, Congenital (complications, diagnosis)