Examining a cohort of women having a reactive venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test on delivery (and their newborn) to describe adherence to the Colombian treatment regime to prevent congenital syphilis and identify adverse clinical outcomes.A descriptive study of 73 pregnant women and their new born was carried out at the Instituto Materno Infantil-Hospital La Victoria during 2008.Syphilis was detected in 50 women during their pregnancy and 23 when giving birth; 34 % became re-infected. 29 % were drug addicts, 19 % indigent and 23% had a history of syphilis. 7 cases were considered successful regarding antenatal treatment. Congenital syphilis frequency at the institution was 1 case per 46 births; there were 8 fetal deaths (12 %) and 58 cases of congenital syphilis in the newborn (27 symptomatic and 31 asymptomatic). 7 newborn had neurosyphilis, 17 suffered growth restriction and 6 were premature. Attending antenatal care, detecting syphilis during pregnancy and providing some type of treatment were related to decreased mortality, fewer symptomatic newborn and fewer infants having IUGR. Pregnant female drug addicts did not attend or lacked prenatal care and had a greater number of symptomatic newborn, involving growth restriction and being premature.It is recommended that pregnant women be encouraged to attend prenatal care and that health personnel should become involved in detecting the disease, verifying treatment in couples (i.e. including the sexual partner)and training in the institution's maternal and neonatal care programs.