Skopje, 15 May 2026 (MIA) - Last year saw 15,500 newborns, a significant drop of 30 percent compared to a decade ago, said doctor Elena Dzhikova of the Skopje-based Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics on Friday.

Doctor Dzhikova told reporters on the sidelines of an event marking Women's Health Week 2026 this should serve as an alarm for better care of women and support to reproductive and family health.

"In circumstances when the rate of natural increase has seen a significant drop, education and prevention in all stages of a woman's life are of exceptional importance, especially during the reproductive period and pregnancy. Regular checkups during pregnancy are very important because modern medicine offers new methods for prediction and prevention of various complications. A healthy woman is the foundation of every society, home and family, while newborns are the hope for a new tomorrow in our country," said Dzhikova.

Photo: MIA