Abstract:
Background: Syphilis is a bacterial sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by
Treponema pallidum. Its global burden is high, with an estimated twelve million people
infected each year. Untreated cases of syphilis can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes,
including stillbirth, fetal loss, neonatal death, prematurity, and low birth weight.
Objective: To identify determinants of syphilis among pregnant women attending
antenatal care at Ambo town public health facilities, Ethiopia, 2024.
Methods: Facility based case control study was conducted from May 10 to July 10,
2024. A total of 374 pregnant women (93 cases and 281controls) were included. Cases
were selected by Convenience sampling technique and systematic random sampling
method was used to select controls. The data were collected using the Kobo Tool box
android application and exported to SPSS version 25 for coding, cleaning and analysis.
Descriptive statistics were done by cross-tabulation. Binary logistic regression was
fitted and those variables with P-value less than 0.25 was transferred to multivariable
logistic regression, then variables with P-value less than 0.05 on multivariable analysis
was declared as statistically significant. Adjusted odds ratio along with 95% confidence
interval was used to show strength of association. The model fitness was checked by
Hosmer and Lemeshow test. Multi collinearity was checked by variance inflation factor
and no strong multi collinearity was identified.
Results: A total of 350 pregnant women (87 cases and 263 controls) were participated
in this study. Unable to read and write (AOR=2.81, 95% CI: 1.23, 6.44), previous
history of STIs (AOR=3.16, 95% CI: 1.75, 5.73), didn’t access to media (AOR=2.40,
95% CI: 1.25, 4.58) and poor knowledge about syphilis (AOR=5.57, 95% CI: 3.07,
10.1) were found to be significant determinants of syphilis among pregnant women.
Conclusion and Recommendation: This study revealed that unable to read and write,
history of STIs, didn’t access to media and poor knowledge about syphilis were found
to be the determinants of syphilis among pregnant women. Thus, it is recommended
that pregnant women should receive health education about syphilis, its modes of
transmission, methods of prevention and adverse outcome of getting syphilis infection.
