Table 2 Factors associated with being syphilis positive among pregnant women enrolled in the 2019 ANC survey and had documented syphilis screening results, South Africa, N = 24,064*.

Age category (years), n (%)

15–19

1.5 (1.2–1.8)

1.00

1.00

20–24

2.7 (2.4–3.0)

1.84 (1.44–2.36)

1.64 (1.25–2.14)

< 0.001

25–29

2.8 (2.5–3.1)

1.93 (1.50–2.49)

1.43 (1.06–1.91)

0.018

30–34

3.0 (1.6–3.4)

2.06 (1.59–2.67)

1.46 (1.07–2.00)

0.018

35–49

2.6 (2.1–3.3)

1.82 (1.35–2.48)

1.27 (0.89–1.81)

0.188

Population group

Black

2.6 (2.4–2.9)

1.00

1.00

Mixed race

2.8 (2.4–3.2)

1.06 (0.88–1.27)

1.31 (1.02–1.69)

0.032

Other^#

1.1 (0.5–2.3)

0.42 (0.21–0.88)

0.27 (0.08–0.90)

0.033

Education

None/primary

3.1 (2.6–3.7)

1.58 (1.21–2.08)

1.59 (1.18–2.16)

0.003

Secondary

2.6 (2.4–2.9)

1.33 (1.07–1.65)

1.29 (1.02–1.62)

0.032

Tertiary

2.0 (1.6–2.5)

1.00

1.00

Relationship with partner who fathered current pregnancy

Married

1.8 (1.5–2.3)

1.00

1.00

Living together as married

2.7 (2.4–3.0)

1.46 (1.16–1.85)

1.30 (1.04–1.62)

0.020

Not living together but in a relationship

2.8 (2.5–3.0)

1.51 (1.24–1.84)

1.45 (1.17–1.79)

0.001

No relationship

3.4 (2.7–4.3)

1.87 (1.35- 2.59)

1.78 (1.26- 2.51)

0.001

Age difference with partner who fathered current pregnancy

< 5 years

2.7 (2.4–2.9)

1.00

–

–

≥ 5 years

2.6 (2.3–3.0)

0.98 (0.87–1.11)

–

–

Does not know

2.0 (1.5–2.6)

0.74 (0.55–0.98)

–

–

Geo-___location

Rural

2.2 (1.8–2.6)

1.00

1.00

Peri-urban

2.8 (2.5–3.1)

1.31 (1.06–1.60)

1.27 (1.04–1.69)

0.021

Urban

3.1 (2.5–3.7)

1.43 (1.09–1.88)

1.33 (0.95–1.69)

0.104

ANC visit

Follow up

2.4 (2.2–2.6)

1.00

1.00

First ANC visit

3.7 (2.9–4.7)

1.59 (1.23–2.06)

1.47 (1.12–1.93)

0.006

Parity

0

2.1 (1.9–2.3)

1.00

1.00

1

3.0 (2.7–3.4)

1.48 (1.29–1.49)

0.89 (0.67–1.17)

0.397

≥ 2

2.8 (2.5–3.2)

1.36 (1.18–1.58)

0.85 (0.62–1.15)

0.295

Gravidity

 < 2

1.9 (1.7–2.2)

1.00

1.00

 ≥ 2

2.9 (2.7–3.2)

1.55 (1.36–1.78)

1.46 (1.09–1.96)

0.011

Trimester at booking

First

2.7 (2.4–3.0)

1.00

Second

2.4 (2.2–2.7)

0.90 (0.79–1.02)

Third

3.1 (2.5–3.9)

1.18 (0.93–1.50)

HIV/ART status

HIV negative

1.9 (1.7–2.1)

1.00

1.00

HIV positive, on ART

4.2 (3.8–4.7)

2.32 (2.04–2.63)

2.25 (1.91–2.64)

< 0.001

HIV positive, not on ART

4.7 (3.7–5.9)

2.57 (2.03–3.24)

2.24 (1.71–2.93)

< 0.001

Province

Eastern Cape

1.62 (1.08–2.43)

0.021

1.58 (0.96–2.61)

0.070

Free State

1.42 (1.11–1.83)

0.006

1.37 (1.03–1.81)

0.030

Gauteng

1.00

1.00

KwaZulu- Natal

1.37 (1.09–1.71)

0.006

1.46 (1.12–1.89)

0.005

Limpopo

0.57 (0.40–0.82)

0.002

0.88 (0.57–1.35)

0.566

Mpumalanga

0.85 (0.50–1.44)

0.545

0.96 (0.56–1.67)

0.891

North West

0.72 (0.48–1.09)

0.123

0.91 (0.57–1.46)

0.700

Northern Cape

1.50 (1.11–2.02)

0.008

1.45 (1.01–2.07)

0.044

Western Cape

0.94 (0.75–1.19)

0.633

0.94 (0.71–1.25)

0.681