Over 100 Doctors Penalized in Turkey for Performing C-Sections
Turkey is cracking down on high C-section rates by punishing birth specialists. More than 100 doctors have received warnings or disciplinary actions, according to medical organizations.
Turkey has the highest rate of cesarean sections among the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), according to data collected for 2023. Doctors note that C-sections take about 30 minutes, whereas natural childbirths can last several hours, and they also reduce legal risks related to complications.
Last year, the Turkish government launched a campaign against declining birth rates under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's initiative "Family Decade," which is seen as an effort to control women's birth choices. Erdogan insists on the necessity of natural births and calls for reducing the number of elective C-sections. In April of last year, the government banned C-sections in private healthcare facilities unless medically necessary.
According to the Turkish newspaper "BirGun," citing data from professional medical organizations, more than 100 doctors have been penalized for performing C-sections, prompting outrage among specialists. The Antalya Chamber of Doctors reported on its website that birth specialists have received formal warnings, faced disciplinary investigations, been temporarily suspended from work, and been forced to attend prenatal training courses due to the high rate of C-sections across the country.
