Jennifer Fernandez/NC Health News

More North Carolina babies are being born with syphilis, and state health officials are urging women to get tested before they give birth to help catch the sexually transmitted illness early.

As the United States marked Black Maternal Health Week this year, North Carolina advocates and health care professionals registered for a two-day, inaugural Black Maternal and Infant Health Conference. Their goal: Get to the source of the problem to help save the lives of Black mothers and their babies.