Background: The perinatal period represents one of the most vulnerable stages in a woman's life, during which biological, psychological and social changes substantially increase the risk of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions, with significant implications for maternal wellbeing, obstetric outcomes, mother–infant bonding and child development. Over the past decade, the Cabinet for Perinatal Mental Health, established and led by Prof. Dr. Slavica Arsova, has progressively evolved into a specialized multidisciplinary service through sustained clinical collaboration, international professional exchange and translational research. This integrated programme generated the first nationwide evidence on perinatal mental health in North Macedonia, advanced research on mother–infant bonding, bipolar disorder and psychometric assessment, and culminated in the publication of the InTechOpen chapter Contemporary Psychometrics in Maternal Depression and Perinatal Mental Health together with the first national Manual for Screening and Diagnosis of Mental Health Disorders in the Preconception and Perinatal Period, providing recommendations for screening, diagnosis and management aligned with international guidelines. 

Objectives: To present North Macedonia's integrated model of perinatal mental healthcare while equipping obstetricians and gynecologists with practical knowledge and skills for the early recognition, screening, initial management and timely referral of women with perinatal mental health disorders.

Methods: Using the development of the national programme as a translational framework, the lecture will focus on the pivotal role of obstetricians and gynecologists in holistic perinatal care and the integration of mental health into routine obstetric practice. Particular emphasis will be placed on recognizing common perinatal mental disorders and psychiatric emergencies, distinguishing physiological emotional adaptation from clinically significant psychopathology, identifying women at increased risk, implementing standardized screening using validated instruments, interpreting screening findings, establishing appropriate referral pathways, and understanding contemporary principles of psychopharmacological treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The lecture will further highlight multidisciplinary collaboration between obstetric, psychiatric and primary healthcare services as a prerequisite for comprehensive maternal care.

Results: The lecture will bridge the accumulated clinical and scientific experience of the programme with practical recommendations applicable in everyday obstetric practice. Participants will gain an evidence-based framework for systematic mental health screening, risk stratification, timely intervention and multidisciplinary management. 

Conclusion: This lecture including the North Macedonian experience demonstrates how by integrating clinical innovation, epidemiological research, psychometric advancement and evidence-based guideline development, a programme could provide a scalable framework for strengthening maternal mental health services in middle-income healthcare systems and illustrates the translation of research into clinical practice, policy and education.

Slavica Arsova is a Doctor of Medicine and serves as the Head of the Department at the University Clinic of Psychiatry in Skopje, North Macedonia. She has extensive expertise in mental illness, clinical psychiatry, treatment, interpersonal relations, and psychotherapeutic processes. Through her clinical practice and leadership, she is dedicated to advancing mental healthcare, promoting evidence-based psychiatric treatment, and improving patient outcomes.