Turkey has penalised more than 100 obstetricians and gynaecologists with fines or suspensions as the government enforces a ban on caesarean deliveries without medical justification at private health facilities, a measure introduced in April 2025. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pushed for so-called 'natural' births as part of a broader effort to reverse declining birth rates.
The crackdown targets a longstanding trend: Turkey records the highest caesarean rate among the 38 member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with the procedure accounting for more than 60% of all deliveries. In 2023, there were roughly 615 caesarean sections per 1,000 live births.
The restrictions form part of the government's 'Decade of the Family' campaign, launched in 2025 to counter a sustained drop in the national birth rate.