Father agrees to baby's birth after pledges of aid, house

Ceyhan changed his mind over the fate of the six-month-old fetus after receiving pledges of financial support and even a house from the government and other charitable donors earlier this week. "I didn't want the child because I was afraid that I would not be able to take care of it on my own. I have received pledges of aid from several people. I still believe that it will be difficult for me to take care of the baby, but I want it to be born," Ceyhan was quoted as saying by several Turkish newspapers.

Alçı was diagnosed with meningitis in early January and lapsed into a coma with little brain activity on Jan. 3 at the Cerrahpaşa Medical Center. Doctors decided to keep her alive for her unborn baby and connected her to life support. Doctors are planning to deliver the baby by cesarean section in about a month if Alçı maintains her current medical condition. But Ceyhan had said he didn't want the baby, citing financial difficulties.

Seeing Ceyhan's desperate situation, doctors at Cerrahpaşa Medical Center decided to extend a helping hand to him. "We will do our utmost to keep Alçı alive to save her fetus and our hospital will cover all expenses throughout the treatment process," noted doctors. İstanbul Greater Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbaş also noted on Monday that they would give an apartment to the baby when it is born.

Expressing his appreciation at the generosity of the donors, Ceyhan said: "I am currently working in a supermarket and have little income. After my wife went into a coma, I was left alone and had great difficulty in looking after my two children. I was afraid I wouldn't manage to take care of another child if it is born. The hospital was previously charging YTL 1,300 a day for the life support system for my wife. I cannot cover such high hospital expenses. Now, officials from the hospital are saying they won't charge me anything."

Ceyhan also noted that State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs Nimet Çubukçu called him and asked him why he didn't want the baby. "I told her that I was left alone with my two daughters and didn't have the financial means to take care of a third child," he said.

"Çubukçu promised me that she would help me and do her best for the baby and my two daughters. I was accused of attempting to kill my unborn baby by the media. All I said was that I wouldn't be able to support a third child. I just expected the state to help me," noted Ceyhan.

Professor Sezai Şahmay from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cerrahpaşa School of Medicine said Alçı could be kept alive for several months as long as she is connected to life support. "The baby can continue living in its mother's womb as long as life support to Alçı is not cut off. The connection can be cut off after the baby is delivered. She has almost no chance of returning to normal life because she is brain dead," said Şahmay.

Doctor Melih Gündüz from Acıbadem Hospital said the baby needed to stay in the womb for at least 28 weeks in order for its lungs to fully develop. Noting that it may be safe to deliver the baby after it is 28 weeks old, Gündüz said the baby should be kept in a life support unit after it is delivered by cesarean section.

Lawyers state that it would be considered euthanasia if they cut off life support to Alçı at this point, which would mean killing both the mother and her baby.

Professor Bahri Öztürk, a criminal lawyer, said a doctor who cuts off life support to a pregnant mother may receive a life sentence as his act would be considered euthanasia. "Under existing laws, euthanasia is a crime in Turkey," he noted.

"Alçı's baby is six months old and has the chance to be delivered. A person who aborts a baby older than 10 weeks is sentenced to a prison terms of two to four years in accordance with Article 99 of the Turkish Penal Code [TCK]," added Öztürk.

Another criminal lawyer, Hüseyin Çınar, stressed that a baby acquires legal rights after conception. "In Alçı's case, there is a chance to save the baby. Preventing his/her birth would be a crime," he added.

Topbaş to give house as present to baby

İstanbul Greater Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbaş announced on Monday that they would gift an apartment to the baby when it is born.

On behalf of the İstanbul Greater Municipality, Topbaş said they wanted to extend a helping hand to Ceyhan, a father struggling to look after his two daughters under unfavorable conditions. Noting that Ceyhan is currently living in a shanty house with his two children, Topbaş said, "We decided to give an apartment to the baby when it is born."

He noted the house would belong to the baby and could not be sold till he/she reaches the age of 20. "We aim at providing more favorable conditions for the unborn baby and its family," added Topbaş.