Turkey Suspends Over 100 Doctors in Crackdown on Caesarean Deliveries

Turkey’s Ministry of Health has suspended and disciplined more than 100 obstetricians and gynecologists as part of a nationwide campaign to reduce the country’s high rate of Caesarean-section births, a move that has sparked sharp criticism from medical professionals who argue the government is interfering in clinical decision-making.

According to reports by Turkish newspaper BirGün, the disciplinary measures include formal warnings, temporary suspensions from medical practice, mandatory retraining and, in some cases, financial penalties. One doctor in the northwestern province of Sakarya was reportedly dismissed from a private hospital, suspended from practicing for six months and ordered to complete training at a public hospital before being allowed to return to work.

The crackdown comes as Turkey seeks to curb what officials describe as an excessive reliance on Caesarean deliveries. According to the latest available data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Turkey recorded the highest Caesarean-section rate among its 38 member countries in 2023, with approximately 615 C-sections for every 1,000 live births, about 61% of all births.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has made increasing the country’s declining birth rate a national priority under its “Decade of the Family” initiative. As part of that policy, authorities introduced regulations in 2025 prohibiting planned Caesarean deliveries at certain private medical centres unless there is a clear medical indication. Officials argue that unnecessary surgical births should be reduced in favor of what they describe as natural childbirth.

The disciplinary actions have drawn a strong backlash from the Turkish Medical Association and other healthcare organizations. Doctors argue that Turkey’s high Caesarean rate is driven by broader structural issues, including overcrowded hospitals, heavy workloads, lengthy labor monitoring, fear of malpractice lawsuits and patient preferences. They insist that decisions on how a woman gives birth should be made jointly by the patient and her physician based on medical need, not government targets.

Medical experts also note that Caesarean deliveries are often quicker to perform than vaginal births, taking around 30 minutes compared with labor that can last many hours. Some physicians say this reality, combined with legal concerns surrounding childbirth complications, has contributed to the procedure’s widespread use in Turkey.

The government’s actions have reignited a broader debate over reproductive rights and state involvement in healthcare. Women’s rights advocates and opposition groups argue that childbirth decisions should remain a matter between women and their doctors, while supporters of the government’s policy say reducing medically unnecessary Caesarean sections could improve maternal health and help address Turkey’s falling fertility rate.

As criticism continues to mount, health authorities have not indicated whether additional disciplinary measures will follow. The controversy is expected to remain at the center of public debate as Turkey balances efforts to address demographic challenges with concerns about medical autonomy, patient choice and professional independence.