State’s targeted public health interventions reverse alarming trend
SANTA FE – New Mexico achieved a significant public health victory with syphilis rates dropping for the first time since 2018, demonstrating that sustained, targeted interventions can reverse even the most challenging disease trends.
Primary and secondary syphilis rates — the most infectious stages of the disease — dropped 31% from 36.5 per 100,000 in 2023 to 25.3 per 100,000 in 2024. Congenital syphilis cases, when pregnant women pass on the infection to their children, decreased by 19.6% over the same period.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) attributes this success to comprehensive strategies including enhanced community awareness and outreach efforts, increasing testing and treatment, promoting doxy-PEP (post-exposure prevention medication), and strengthening partnerships with community, medical, and Tribal organizations.
“We are seeing the results of years of dedicated work by our team and partners across the state,” said Janine Waters, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) program manager for NMDOH. “Congenital syphilis is entirely preventable, so our continued focus on testing and treatment is saving babies’ lives and protecting families.”
Protecting mothers and babies
Preventing congenital syphilis is a top priority. All pregnant women should be tested to prevent syphilis in babies. Syphilis during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects and infant death, but these outcomes are preventable with proper testing and treatment.
NMDOH recommends that healthcare providers screen all pregnant women three times:
- At the first prenatal visit.
- During the third trimester.
- At delivery.
Free services available statewide
NMDOH’s STD Program provides free services at public health offices throughout New Mexico, including:
- STD testing and treatment.
- STD counseling and education.
- Condoms.
- Doxy PEP (post-exposure prevention medication).
- HIV PrEP (pre-exposure prevention medicine to prevent HIV).
Resources and support
Community members with questions about sexually transmitted diseases or who need help connecting to care can call the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-SW-NURSE (1-833-796-8773). Testing and treatment locations are available at www.nmstdtest.org.
Healthcare providers can call the NMDOH Helpline (choose the provider option) for questions about STD reporting, patient histories, or other clinical topics.
Visit nmhealth.org to view the data in depth.
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