No Births for Show: KRG Bans Date-Driven C-Section
“This practice, though decreasing in recent years, still poses a serious health risk to both the mother and the child,” KRG Health Minister Barzanji said. “Hospitals are under clear instruction not to perform cesarean deliveries prior to the medically determined due date."
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Health, Dr. Saman Barzanji, has issued a strong public warning against a growing social trend in which expectant mothers opt for early cesarean sections solely to ensure their babies are born on numerically appealing or culturally symbolic dates—such as Monday, 5-5-2025.
In an exclusive interview with the Kurdistan24 website, Minister Barzanji confirmed that the Ministry of Health has formally instructed all public and private hospitals across the Kurdistan Region to refuse non-essential C-section procedures that are requested for non-medical reasons, especially those timed to coincide with what are perceived as “beautiful dates.”
“This practice, though decreasing in recent years, still poses a serious health risk to both the mother and the child,” Barzanji said. “Hospitals are under clear instruction not to perform cesarean deliveries prior to the medically determined due date unless valid medical documentation is provided.”
The minister emphasized that such procedures are only to be approved if there is clear clinical justification indicating that the expected delivery time has arrived or that a health complication necessitates early intervention. The directive aims to safeguard infants from premature birth-related complications, which may arise when cesarean surgeries are scheduled without medical necessity.
The practice of timing childbirth to coincide with numerologically significant dates—such as 02-02-2020, 11-11-2011, or this year’s 5-5-2025—has drawn attention not only for its cultural novelty but also for its ethical and medical implications. In some cases, social media trends and superstitious beliefs about auspicious dates have contributed to mothers and families pressuring doctors to operate early.
However, medical professionals and the KRG’s Ministry of Health have repeatedly cautioned that the risks of early delivery include respiratory issues, underdeveloped organs, and extended neonatal care. “The infant’s health must never be compromised for the sake of symbolism or numerology,” Barzanji stated.
The minister noted that the Kurdistan Region has made considerable progress in maternal and child healthcare outcomes and that undermining these achievements for aesthetic reasons would be irresponsible and dangerous. “We will continue to monitor hospitals, and any violations of this directive will be met with firm administrative measures,” he added.
While the phenomenon appears to be on the decline, Barzanji affirmed that public awareness and institutional accountability remain vital to fully eradicating the trend. He encouraged expectant mothers and their families to prioritize medical guidance over social preference.
This aligns with global health guidance on maternal and neonatal care. According to a detailed infographic released by the World Health Organization (WHO), cesarean section, like any surgical procedure, carries both short- and long-term risks that may affect not only the current birth but also the health of the woman, child, and future pregnancies. These risks include increased chances of blood transfusion, anesthesia complications, organ injury, infection, thromboembolic disease, and neonatal respiratory distress.
The WHO further notes that in the long term, children born via cesarean may face heightened risks of asthma and obesity, while mothers may be exposed to complications in subsequent pregnancies such as uterine rupture, placenta accreta, placenta praevia, and even infertility. The risk of these morbidities increases with each successive cesarean procedure.
The WHO stresses that non-medically indicated cesarean sections—which are rising globally—often fail to yield maternal or perinatal benefits and may in fact compromise safety. The timing of delivery, WHO recommends, must always be guided by clinical need and professional assessment, not cultural or aesthetic considerations.
The Ministry of Health’s proactive approach reflects a broader commitment to evidence-based medical policy and patient safety across the Kurdistan Region’s healthcare system. As special dates like 5-5-2025 attract public fascination, the government is urging restraint, discipline, and a renewed focus on maternal and neonatal well-being.
