By Lena Vasquez, Community Features & Culture Editor

In California and across the country, cases of syphilis are rising fast—not just among adults, but among pregnant women and newborns. Between 2012 and 2021, female early-stage syphilis in California rose over 1,100%. Congenital syphilis—the kind passed from mother to baby in the womb—spiked 1,500%, from 33 cases to over 500 in less than a decade.

Doctors warn the trend is accelerating, and the consequences are severe. Infants born with syphilis can suffer blindness, brain damage, bone deformities, or worse. In the worst cases, babies die within days of birth. The disease is treatable if caught in time, but many women go undiagnosed—often due to lack of prenatal care, substance abuse, or simply not knowing they’re at risk.

But there’s a deeper cultural current feeding the epidemic. Experts point to a sharp drop in protected sex practices and a widespread belief among young adults that STDs are no big deal—a mindset fostered by years of “sex-positive” messaging, casual norms, and dating apps that reduce relationships to a swipe.

“The rise of PrEP for HIV prevention has led many to overlook other STIs,” says Dr. Alvaro Galvis, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in California. “This has led to many syphilis diagnoses in pregnant women and subsequent congenital infections in their babies.”

At the same time, a generation raised on liberation is now facing the fallout. Hookup culture, once sold as empowerment, is quietly being linked to rising rates of depression, anxiety, and regret—and now, biological consequences that can’t be undone. Research from the Institute for Family Studies shows that among sexually active 12- to 21-year-olds, 70% reported having uncommitted sex in the past year. Most of them aren’t walking away unscathed.

As the toll rises, the old values don’t look so outdated. Commitment. Responsibility. Waiting. They were never just about morality. They were about health, protection, and giving the next generation a fighting chance. What once was mocked as old-fashioned might now be the most forward-thinking path we have.

The surge in syphilis doesn’t just raise questions about public health. It raises questions about culture, priorities, and whether a society can outgrow values that once held it together.

The science says syphilis is back. The facts say it’s spreading fast. And somewhere in the middle, a quiet voice—maybe from your grandmother’s porch swing—is whispering, “I told you so.”