Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued several public service announcements for Illinois radio stations to promote awareness of the growing problem of congenital syphilis.

The radio announcements focus on the risks posed by congenital syphilis, which occurs when syphilis is transmitted to an unborn child during pregnancy. The PSAs encourage pregnant individuals to discuss timely testing for the illness with their healthcare providers.

“Syphilis is a serious infection that can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, and the number of babies with the infection has been dramatically rising in Illinois,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “The good news is that with testing and early detection, we can make a big difference and prevent serious illness. These public service announcements have been created to encourage expectant mothers to speak with their health care providers and get the necessary testing and treatment to protect themselves and their babies.”

Congenital syphilis cases have been on the rise in Illinois and nationwide, with the number of syphilis-related stillbirths across the country climbing from 44 in 2016 to 231 in 2022. Congenital syphilis disproportionately impacts communities of color.

There are several versions of the PSA: two in English (one featuring voice and music, the other featuring voice alone), and two in Spanish (similarly, one with music and the other without).

The audio cuts can be found at: https://cms.illinois.gov/agency/media/radio/psa.html.