Current Issues in Maternal and Child Health Related

Review Current Issues in Maternal and Child Health related questions and content

What STIs can cause one of the TORCH infections in the fetus?

  • A. HPV
  • B. HSV
  • C. HIV
  • D. syphilis
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Syphilis is one of the STIs that can cause one of the TORCH infections in a fetus. TORCH infections are a group of infections that can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus and include toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and syphilis. When a pregnant woman with untreated syphilis transmits the infection to her fetus, it can result in congenital syphilis, which can have serious consequences such as stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, and developmental delays. Syphilis is thus an important infectious cause of prenatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.