*Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan administration’s ban on elective Caesarian-section births at private healthcare centres for ‘natural’ births under the new health ministry regulations sparks furious reactions from opposition politicians, doctors, and rights groups across the country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Turkish Government’s ban on elective Caesarian-section births at private healthcare facilities without a medical justification under new health ministry regulations

has sparked a furious response from the opposition politicians and rights groups in the country.

绿帽献妻 gathered the Turkish Government published the controversial official gazette at the weekend.

The furious, far-reaching reactions from the opposition politicians and rights groups, however, followed after a heated debate over how women should give birth.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pushing hard for women to have so-called ‘natural’ births.

It is also noted that the authorities are resorting to such a measures in regard to Turkey鈥檚 declining fertility rate and population growth in recent years.

Erdogan, in an April 19 gazette entry outlining new regulations governing private healthcare institutions, said: 鈥淧lanned Caesarean sections cannot be performed in a medical centre”, which hit the headlines Sunday, April 20, 2025, according to report.

Turkey has the highest rate of C-section births among the OECD鈥檚 38 countries, according to the last available data from 2021.

Figures from the World Population Review also indicated that there were 584 such C-Section procedures out of every 1,000 live births that year.

Again, the childbirth debate flared up, last weekend, at the start of a Super Lig football clash between Fenerbahce and Sivassapor.

Sivassapor players walked onto the pitch carrying a huge banner reflecting a health ministry initiative to promote ‘vaginal’ births, reading: 鈥淣atural birth is natural.鈥�

However, the move sparked fury from politicians, doctors and women鈥檚 rights organisations.

Reacting to the official natural birth advocacy,

in remarks echoed by other women politicians and rights groups, Gokce Gokcen, Deputy Chair of the main opposition CHP on X, wrote: 鈥淎s if the country had no other problems, male football players are telling women how to give birth.

鈥淒on鈥檛 interfere in women鈥檚 affairs with your ignorance…. Keep your hands off women鈥檚 bodies,鈥� she wrote, in remarks echoed by other women politicians and rights groups.

In January, Turkey鈥檚 president declared 2025 would be the 鈥測ear of the family鈥� in a bid to address Turkey鈥檚 declining fertility rate, which hit a historic low of 1.51 in 2023. Erdogan has repeatedly suggested that women have at least three children.

The President Saturday, April 19 equally lashed out at those who had taken issue with the football banner that ignited furious reactions from stakeholder groups.

He stated: 鈥淥ne of our football clubs took to the field with a banner to support an awareness campaign by the health ministry.

鈥淭here was no insult, no criticism, no disrespect to anyone on the banner, nothing to offend women鈥�.”

The President also asked: “Why does it bother you that our ministry encourages normal birth?

鈥淲e have no time for such nonsense at a time when our fertility rate and population growth rate are causing alarm.”

Erdogan warned citizens that Turkey鈥檚 declining fertility rate and population growth constitute 鈥渁 threat much more significant than war”, according to report.

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