Patient's question:
I just had my second baby, and when I had my first son, I got an RPR test done. Everything was fine back then, but I didn't get a follow-up test after that. This time after having my daughter, the test results showed that she has a positive antibody but negative serum. I want to ask, can this antibody turn negative? Will it affect her in the future? (The first one is mine, and the second one is my daughter's)Doctor's answer:
You have a positive antibody result, and the non-warm serum test is negative. It is generally transmitted to newborns through maternal-fetal transmission. If the antibody test is positive within six months after the baby girl is born, it may be derived from the mother and cannot prove that the baby girl is infected with syphilis. Do not worry. Antibodies are not Treponema pallidum; they can be passed to the child through the placenta and are harmless. If you feel upset, you can ask the doctor to give the child a shot of penicillin for preventive treatment. Wishing you all the best!