Turkey fines over 100 obstetricians in crackdown on C‑sections

Turkey’s health ministry has fined, suspended and ordered additional training for more than 100 obstetrician‑gynecologists who performed a high number of Caesarean sections. The disciplinary action is part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “Decade of the Family” initiative, launched to reverse the country’s declining birth rate.

Turkey has the highest Caesarean‑birth rate among the 38 OECD member states, with about 615 C‑sections per 1,000 live births in 2023 – roughly 60% of all deliveries. In April 2025 the government banned elective Caesareans in private hospitals unless medically justified. Among the penalised doctors was an obstetrician in Sakarya who was dismissed and suspended for six months; he must complete training in a state hospital and pass an exam before returning to practice.

Medical professionals argue that the high rate reflects deeper systemic problems in the Turkish health system rather than individual doctors’ choices. Dr Ayse Gültekin‑gil of the Turkish Medical Association warned that punishments will not solve the issue, noting that C‑sections are favoured because they are quicker (about 30 minutes) and reduce legal risk, but the underlying structural causes remain.