Nursing performance in the prevention of congenital syphilis: an integrative review

Abstract

Treponema pallidum represents an important public health problem due to the high rates of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Although diagnosis and treatment are offered free of charge by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), the disease remains highly prevalent in Brazil, highlighting weaknesses in access to health services, late initiation of prenatal care, inadequate treatment, and failures in assistance to pregnant women. In this context, nursing plays a fundamental role in the prevention of congenital syphilis, acting in health promotion, health education, rapid testing, prenatal follow-up, and therapeutic monitoring of diagnosed pregnant women. Objective: To analyze, through an integrative literature review, the role of nursing in the prevention of congenital syphilis, highlighting the main strategies and interventions developed during prenatal care. This is a qualitative and descriptive study carried out in national and international databases. The descriptors “Congenital syphilis,” “Nursing,” “Pregnant women,” and “Prenatal care” were used, combined with the Boolean operator AND. Full-têxt articles published in Portuguese within the last ten years were included. Results: The main nursing interventions involve early identification of infection, performance of serological examinations and rapid tests, administration of appropriate treatment, guidance regarding therapeutic adherence, health education, and encouragement of simultaneous treatment of the sexual partner. In addition, social, economic, and structural factors, such as low educational level, social vulnerability, and failures in prenatal follow-up, contribute to the persistence of vertical transmission. Conclusion: Nursing practice is essential for the prevention of congenital syphilis, strengthening preventive actions, improving the quality of prenatal care, and promoting comprehensive care for pregnant women, thereby contributing to the reduction of maternal-fetal complications and vertical transmission.