Istanbul: The Turkish government has banned planned Caesarean sections in private medical centres.
The order, published in Turkiye’s official gazette on Monday, caused outrage across the country. The first protests against the new regulation were planned for Monday evening in Istanbul and Ankara. The Health Ministry of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s conservative Islamic government launched a campaign against Caesarean sections a few months ago. The plan states that the reduction in Caesarean births is intended to “promote normal births and maintain population growth at a sustainable level.”
Erdogan has declared 2025 the Year of the Family, with boosting the birth rate a declared goal. While women can become pregnant again quite quickly after a vaginal birth, a longer recovery period is often recommended after a Caesarean section. (DPA)
