According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, syphilis cases increased by nearly 80% to more than $207,000 between 2018-2022. Rates increased among all age groups, including newborns, and in all regions of the country. In 2022, 3,755 babies in the US were reported born with syphilis, which reflects an alarming 937% increase in the past decade, the CDC said.
Alarming is right. Babies born with this sexually transmitted infection are truly innocent victims, the result of their parents’ poor choices. We are desperate for a return to virtue, a term that may be old-fashioned to some, but it conveys the idea of making wise choices for oneself and for others, especially when it comes to human sexuality.
