 Congenital syphilis in the newborn can be prevented by screening mothers during early pregnancy and treating those who are infected . The United States Preventive Services Task Force ( USPSTF ) strongly recommends universal screening of all pregnant women , while the World Health Organization recommends all women be tested at their first antenatal visit and again in the third trimester . If they are positive , they recommend their partners also be treated . Congenital syphilis is still common in the developing world , as many women do not receive antenatal care at all , and the antenatal care others receive does not include screening , and it still occasionally occurs in the developed world , as those most likely to acquire syphilis ( through drug use , etc . ) are least likely to receive care during pregnancy . Several measures to increase access to testing appear effective at reducing rates of congenital syphilis in low- to middle @-@ income countries . Point @-@ of @-@ care testing to detect syphilis appeared to be good although more research is needed to assess its effectiveness and into improving outcomes in mothers and babies . 
