Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China

Xiaomeng Xue,1,2,* Xinxin Huang,3,* Guihua Liu,2 Xiumin Jiang,2 Wenzhao Lin,1,2 Yongfan Chen,1,2 Chengyu Huang1,2 1School of Nursing, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 2Nursing Department, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Colleg...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xue X, Huang X, Liu G, Jiang X, Lin W, Chen Y, Huang C
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-07-01
Series:Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/evaluating-the-effectiveness-of-spousal-testing-among-syphilis-infecte-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1839630614410559488
author Xue X
Huang X
Liu G
Jiang X
Lin W
Chen Y
Huang C
author_facet Xue X
Huang X
Liu G
Jiang X
Lin W
Chen Y
Huang C
author_sort Xue X
collection DOAJ
description Xiaomeng Xue,1,2,* Xinxin Huang,3,* Guihua Liu,2 Xiumin Jiang,2 Wenzhao Lin,1,2 Yongfan Chen,1,2 Chengyu Huang1,2 1School of Nursing, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 2Nursing Department, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 3The Ministry of Health, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiumin Jiang, Nursing Department, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, No. 18. Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China, Email jiangxiumin@fjsfy.comPurpose: Syphilis during pregnancy poses significant risks to maternal and neonatal health. Spousal testing is crucial for preventing congenital syphilis transmission. This study assessed spousal testing rates among syphilis-positive pregnant women to guide public health interventions.Methods: This multicenter effectiveness study was conducted in Southeast China, utilizing data from the Chinese HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B Prevention Information System between 2018 to 2024. Proportions were used to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women with syphilis. Univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with the testing status of spouses of pregnant women with syphilis.Results: A total of 4,875 spouses were tested for syphilis. Older gestational age at the first prenatal visit (aOR = 1.014, 95% CI: 1.007– 1.022) and at delivery (aOR = 1.273, 95% CI: 1.011– 1.602) were associated with lower rates of spousal testing. Spouses of women reported in 2022– 2023 (aOR = 1.840, 95% CI: 1.465– 2.311) had a higher likelihood of being untested. Unmarried status (aOR = 1.181, 95% CI: 1.022– 1.364), junior high school education and below (aOR = 1.244, 95% CI: 1.121– 1.381), no history of infection (aOR = 2.281, 95% CI: 2.073– 2.510), and prenatal care in Grade II hospitals (aOR = 0.1.292, 95% CI: 1.140– 1.464) were risk factors for spousal testing.Conclusion: From 2018 to 2024, the spousal testing rate was 60%, with a syphilis positivity rate of 14.7%. Data revealed multiple risk factors, such as a late first pregnancy test, advanced age, unmarried status, lower education level, no history of syphilis infection, and selection of prenatal care in Grade II hospitals as delivery facilities. Recommendations include establishing specialized clinics, post-test spousal counseling, and routine spousal testing.Plain Language Summary: Syphilis is a worldwide epidemic infectious disease that poses a great threat to the health of newborns through sexual transmission and mother-to-child transmission. The incidence of syphilis is still high in China. Prevention of sexually transmitted infections is considered to be a key factor in the prevention of syphilis. The spouses of pregnant women with syphilis may act as vectors of infection, which increases the risk of syphilis infection in newborns. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the factors that affect the testing rate of the spouses of pregnant women with syphilis under the strategy of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) in Southeast China. The results revealed that the spousal testing rate increased from 2018 to 2024, whereas the syphilis positive rate among spouses was relatively high. The data revealed multiple risk factors, such as late first pregnancy test, advanced age, unmarried status, low education level, no previous history of syphilis infection, and selection of prenatal care in Grade II hospitals for delivery. This study validated the effectiveness of the EMTCT framework in reducing mother-to-child transmission of syphilis and highlighted the specific measures of the risk factors mentioned above in the future control of sexual and mother‒to-child transmission of syphilis.Keywords: syphilis, pregnant woman, spousal testing, multicenter, influencing factors
format Article
id doaj-art-cad8d0857a624d61b5d881c7e2a6d1eb
institution Matheson Library
issn 1179-1594
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
spelling doaj-art-cad8d0857a624d61b5d881c7e2a6d1eb2025-07-13T18:21:55ZengDove Medical PressRisk Management and Healthcare Policy1179-15942025-07-01Volume 18Issue 124232433104774Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern ChinaXue X0Huang X1Liu G2Jiang X3Lin WChen Y4Huang CSchool of NursingThe ministry of healthChild Healthcare CenterNursing DepartmentnursingXiaomeng Xue,1,2,* Xinxin Huang,3,* Guihua Liu,2 Xiumin Jiang,2 Wenzhao Lin,1,2 Yongfan Chen,1,2 Chengyu Huang1,2 1School of Nursing, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 2Nursing Department, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China; 3The Ministry of Health, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiumin Jiang, Nursing Department, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, No. 18. Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian, People’s Republic of China, Email jiangxiumin@fjsfy.comPurpose: Syphilis during pregnancy poses significant risks to maternal and neonatal health. Spousal testing is crucial for preventing congenital syphilis transmission. This study assessed spousal testing rates among syphilis-positive pregnant women to guide public health interventions.Methods: This multicenter effectiveness study was conducted in Southeast China, utilizing data from the Chinese HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B Prevention Information System between 2018 to 2024. Proportions were used to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women with syphilis. Univariate and multivariate unconditional logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with the testing status of spouses of pregnant women with syphilis.Results: A total of 4,875 spouses were tested for syphilis. Older gestational age at the first prenatal visit (aOR = 1.014, 95% CI: 1.007– 1.022) and at delivery (aOR = 1.273, 95% CI: 1.011– 1.602) were associated with lower rates of spousal testing. Spouses of women reported in 2022– 2023 (aOR = 1.840, 95% CI: 1.465– 2.311) had a higher likelihood of being untested. Unmarried status (aOR = 1.181, 95% CI: 1.022– 1.364), junior high school education and below (aOR = 1.244, 95% CI: 1.121– 1.381), no history of infection (aOR = 2.281, 95% CI: 2.073– 2.510), and prenatal care in Grade II hospitals (aOR = 0.1.292, 95% CI: 1.140– 1.464) were risk factors for spousal testing.Conclusion: From 2018 to 2024, the spousal testing rate was 60%, with a syphilis positivity rate of 14.7%. Data revealed multiple risk factors, such as a late first pregnancy test, advanced age, unmarried status, lower education level, no history of syphilis infection, and selection of prenatal care in Grade II hospitals as delivery facilities. Recommendations include establishing specialized clinics, post-test spousal counseling, and routine spousal testing.Plain Language Summary: Syphilis is a worldwide epidemic infectious disease that poses a great threat to the health of newborns through sexual transmission and mother-to-child transmission. The incidence of syphilis is still high in China. Prevention of sexually transmitted infections is considered to be a key factor in the prevention of syphilis. The spouses of pregnant women with syphilis may act as vectors of infection, which increases the risk of syphilis infection in newborns. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the factors that affect the testing rate of the spouses of pregnant women with syphilis under the strategy of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) in Southeast China. The results revealed that the spousal testing rate increased from 2018 to 2024, whereas the syphilis positive rate among spouses was relatively high. The data revealed multiple risk factors, such as late first pregnancy test, advanced age, unmarried status, low education level, no previous history of syphilis infection, and selection of prenatal care in Grade II hospitals for delivery. This study validated the effectiveness of the EMTCT framework in reducing mother-to-child transmission of syphilis and highlighted the specific measures of the risk factors mentioned above in the future control of sexual and mother‒to-child transmission of syphilis.Keywords: syphilis, pregnant woman, spousal testing, multicenter, influencing factorshttps://www.dovepress.com/evaluating-the-effectiveness-of-spousal-testing-among-syphilis-infecte-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHPSyphilisPregnant womanSpousal testingMulticenterInfluencing factors
spellingShingle Xue X
Huang X
Liu G
Jiang X
Lin W
Chen Y
Huang C
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China
Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
Syphilis
Pregnant woman
Spousal testing
Multicenter
Influencing factors
title Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China
title_full Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China
title_fullStr Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China
title_short Evaluating the Effectiveness of Spousal Testing Among Syphilis-Infected Pregnant Women in the Context of Mother-to-Child Transmission Elimination: A Multicenter Study in Southeastern China
title_sort evaluating the effectiveness of spousal testing among syphilis infected pregnant women in the context of mother to child transmission elimination a multicenter study in southeastern china
topic Syphilis
Pregnant woman
Spousal testing
Multicenter
Influencing factors
url https://www.dovepress.com/evaluating-the-effectiveness-of-spousal-testing-among-syphilis-infecte-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RMHP
work_keys_str_mv AT xuex evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina
AT huangx evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina
AT liug evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina
AT jiangx evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina
AT linw evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina
AT cheny evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina
AT huangc evaluatingtheeffectivenessofspousaltestingamongsyphilisinfectedpregnantwomeninthecontextofmothertochildtransmissioneliminationamulticenterstudyinsoutheasternchina