Turkey’s Ministry of Health has sanctioned more than 100 obstetricians because of an excessively high percentage of cesarean sections they perform. Some specialists were temporarily suspended from work, while others were required to undergo additional training, AFP reports.

Turkey leads all 38 countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the share of cesarean sections. According to 2023 data, 615 out of every 1,000 children were delivered by cesarean section.

According to medical professionals, surgical intervention is often preferred because of its duration: the operation takes about 30 minutes, whereas natural childbirth can last up to 12 hours. In addition, doctors believe that cesarean sections reduce the risk of lawsuits in the event of complications.

In 2025, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan banned cesarean sections without medical indication in private clinics. The decision was made as part of the “Decade of the Family” initiative aimed at combating declining birth rates. According to the Antalya Medical Chamber, many obstetrician-gynecologists have already received warnings, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against them, and some have been temporarily suspended from practice.

Among those suspended was a doctor at a private hospital in Sakarya who was dismissed at the Health Ministry’s demand because of his high rate of cesarean sections. He will not be allowed to practice medicine for six months. During that time, he must complete training at a state hospital and pass an exam to restore his right to work.

The Turkish Medical Association criticized the measures taken. Dr. Ayşe Gültekİngil told BirGun that punishing doctors would not solve the problem, since the high share of cesarean sections is the result of deeper, structural problems in the country’s healthcare system.