What are the complications associated with syphilis?
Untreated syphilis can lead to destruction of soft tissue and bone, heart failure, blindness and a variety of other conditions which may be mild to incapacitating. More important, a female with untreated syphilis may transmit the disease to her unborn child, which may result in death or deformity of the child. Physicians and hospitals are required to test pregnant females for syphilis at prenatal visits. Tests of newborns or their mothers are required at the time of delivery.
