Turkey’s health ministry has fined more than 100 obstetrician-gynaecologists for carrying out Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries, with many also suspended from practice and ordered to undergo retraining as part of a government campaign to reduce the country’s high C-section rate.
The disciplinary action has sparked criticism from healthcare professionals, who argue that the country’s high rate of Caesarean births is rooted in broader healthcare system challenges rather than individual doctors’ decisions.
Turkey recorded the highest Caesarean birth rate among the 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2023, with about 615 C-sections performed for every 1,000 live births.
Medical experts told AFP that C-sections are often preferred because they are significantly quicker than natural births, typically taking around 30 minutes compared with up to 12 hours for vaginal delivery. They also said the procedure helps reduce the risk of legal action arising from childbirth complications while offering greater certainty for both patients and physicians.
The latest sanctions form part of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “Decade of the Family” initiative, launched to reverse declining birth rates and encourage what the government describes as natural childbirth.
In April 2025, the Turkish government banned elective Caesarean sections at private hospitals unless there was a valid medical reason.
Turkish newspaper BirGun reported that more than 100 doctors had been penalised, citing data from medical associations across the country.
The Antalya Chamber of Physicians said affected obstetricians had received warnings, faced disciplinary investigations, been temporarily suspended from practising, and ordered to attend antenatal training because of high Caesarean section rates.
The Diken news website also reported the case of an obstetrician at a private hospital in Sakarya, near Istanbul, who was dismissed at the request of the health ministry and suspended for six months due to a high number of C-section deliveries. The doctor must complete training at a state hospital and pass an examination before being allowed to resume practice.
Dr Ayse Gultekingil of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) criticised the government’s approach, saying the country’s Caesarean rate, now above 60 per cent, reflects systemic healthcare issues rather than the actions of individual doctors.
She argued that punishing physicians would not address the underlying causes behind Turkey’s exceptionally high reliance on Caesarean births.
