Syphilis is a complex sexually transmitted disease that has a highly variable clinical course. Classification by a clinician with expertise in syphilis may take precedence over the following case definition developed for surveillance purposes.

CLINICAL DESCRIPTION

A fetal death that occurs after a 20-week gestation or in which the fetus weighs < 500 g and the mother had untreated or inadequately treated syphilis at delivery (Inadequate treatment consists of any nonpenicillin therapy or penicillin administered <30 days before delivery).

CASE CLASSIFICATION

For surveillance purposes, syphilitic stillbirths should be reported as cases of congenital syphilis, (see Syphilis, Congenital).