Turkey’s Ministry of Health has reportedly fined more than 100 obstetrician-gynaecologists, suspended them from duty and ordered them to undergo mandatory training as part of a government campaign to reduce the country’s high rate of caesarean deliveries.
According to BirGun newspaper, the disciplinary measures are linked to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s push to promote what he describes as “natural births” under his Decade of the Familyinitiative, launched in 2025 to tackle Turkey’s declining birth rate.
Turkey recorded the highest caesarean section rate among the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2023, with approximately 615 caesarean deliveries per 1,000 live births.
Medical professionals told AFP that caesarean deliveries are often preferred because the procedure typically takes about 30 minutes, compared with vaginal births, which can last up to 12 hours. They also said the procedure reduces the risk of legal disputes arising from childbirth complications while providing greater certainty for both doctors and patients.
In April 2025, the Turkish government banned elective caesarean sections at private hospitals unless they are considered medically necessary.
The Antalya Chamber of Physicians said doctors had been “issued with warnings, subjected to disciplinary investigations, temporarily suspended from practising, and compelled to attend antenatal training courses” due to the country’s high caesarean section rates.
Meanwhile, Diken news website reported that an obstetrician working at a private hospital near Istanbul was dismissed at the request of the Health Ministry over a high caesarean rate and suspended for six months. The doctor is required to complete training at a state hospital and pass an examination before being allowed to resume practice.
Reacting to the sanctions, Dr Ayse Gultekingil of the Turkish Medical Association said penalising doctors would not solve the underlying challenges driving the country’s high caesarean rate.
“Turkey’s caesarean birth rate exceeds 60 per cent. But the method of delivery reflects various problems within Turkey’s healthcare system,” she said.
