Study reveals persistent gaps in Ontario’s prenatal syphilis screening coverage

Global pregnancy care guidelines recommend universal screening for syphilis in the first trimester or at the initial prenatal care visit.

"Relying solely on traditional prenatal care models may not be sufficient to reach populations who face barriers to accessing care. Providing nonjudgmental, comprehensive care in tandem with complementary strategies, such as opportunistic screening and community-based outreach programs using point-of-care testing, is a critical next step," the authors say. These approaches have shown promise in reaching underserved populations and closing access gaps.

Source:

Canadian Medical Association Journal