Congenital syphilis: challenges for prevention

Background/Purpose: Congenital syphilis is defined as the contamination of the fetus with Treponema pallidum by means of transplacental transmission at any period of gestation or clinical stage of the disease in pregnant women who have not undergone adequate treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of pregnant women about congenital syphilis, based on the research regarding the guidelines received on syphilis during prenatal care and the obstacles faced by pregnant women in the consultations. Methods: The research is descriptive with a qualitative approach. The semi-structured interview with open and closed questions was used as the collection instrument. The research was carried out at the Municipal Health Unit of the Jurunas neighborhood, in the municipality of Belém-PA. Ten pregnant women enrolled in the prenatal program were interviewed. Results: It was perceptible to find in the studied population a pauperization in relation to the information and knowledge about the central theme, which may be intertwined with the potential risk of contamination of the pregnant woman. Conclusion: It was concluded that nursing has not made available to pregnant women the potential risks they may face in their pregnant women.