Introduction In recent years Syphilis has been a priority public health problem in Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC), added to the problem of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Our goal is to determine the prevalence of HIV/syphilis and measure the quality of antenatal care for prevention of MTCT in parturient and postpartum women attending public health facilities in Paraguay in 2013.

Methods Descriptive cross-sectional study using a standard survey and linked confidential serological tests. Data included public units at National level. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling was performed and data were expressed in measures of central tendency, dispersion and tables of proportions.

Results A total of 8.256 postpartum and parturient women were admitted to the study and 92.48% attending prenatal care. HIV prevalence in postpartum/parturient women was 0.50% (95% CI 0.36–0.69) and of Syphilis was 4.18% (CI 95% 3.75 to 4.65). In 65.93% of them, the first prenatal visit was performed before 20 weeks of gestation. 72.04% performed 4 or more prenatal visits and 58.03% of pregnant women presented both, prenatal visit before 20 weeks and ≥4 prenatal visits. In 85.59% and 83%, the tests for HIV and syphilis diagnosis were performed during pregnancy. The diagnostic tests fo sexual partners were available in 12.50% and 24.40% for HIV and syphilis, respectively. The treatment of sexual partners of pregnant women with syphilis was 21.40%.

Conclusion HIV prevalence was low; however the prevalence of syphilis was high in postpartum and in parturient women in Paraguay. The percentage of prenatal care before 20 weeks of gestation was low and the percentages of performing the tests on the sexual partners and the treatment of syphilis were very low. Improving the access to and quality of antenatal care services and implement effective strategies for the notification and treatment of sexual partners in health services the timely implementation of 1 st prenatal care and, in particular, to include strategies for testing sexual partners.