Speaker

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist / Birth Preparation Trainer without Wishes / LCCE (Lamaze Certified Pregnancy Educator) / HypnoBirthing® Trainer / Active Birth Trainer Born in 1965 in Istanbul, Hakan Çoker graduated from Darüşşafaka High School in 1984. After graduating from Darüşşafaka High School in 1984, he completed his medical education at Istanbul Faculty of Medicine between 1984-1990 and completed his residency in Gynaecology and Obstetrics at Istanbul Taksim Hospital between 1990-1994. He did his military service as a reserve officer at Kyrenia Military Hospital between 1994-1996. In 2009, he resigned from his civil servant position, which he continued for 18 years, and started to carry out his practice service and birth preparation trainings together. In 1990, when he was a senior medical student, he did his obstetrics and gynaecology internship in England. She was impressed by the very different approaches of both pregnant women and health personnel to birth. The fact that pregnant women were not afraid of birth and did not panic during labour, and at the same time their spouses were there to help them, made birth much easier. Her studies on this subject continued over the years. In 2004, after attending the Prenatal Pregnant Education Course organised by 9 Eylül University, she started working to open such a centre. In March 2007, she completed the HypnoBirthing course held in England and received a certificate. This course and seeing the conditions of birth there accelerated her work. In April 2007, she completed the exam opened by Lamaze International and was entitled to receive a Lamaze trainer certificate. In May 2010, she completed the Active Birth Course organised by Janet Balaskas. In May 2009, she organised the first international pregnant training programme HypnoBirthing Course in our country. This was followed by the "Active Birth" course organised by Janet Balaskas in 2010. Nearly 50 midwives and pregnant educators attended these courses. International studies on these issues are ongoing. In 2010, Uzm. Psk. Neşe Karabekir founded Istanbul Birth Academy. The new K Keşkesiz Doğum Doğum Doğum Preparation and Support programme, which they created together, was recognised nationally and internationally. After a certain accumulation of experience in the course, she started Birth Preparation Educator and Doula Training for professionals since 2012. Trainings for families and professionals continue all over the country. She started her first water birth experience in 2008 with home birth. Since 2010, it has carried water birth practices to hospitals and still continues to routinely provide water birth and water birth services to families who wish. Her aim is to raise families who have all kinds of technical knowledge about birth, who are not afraid of birth, who feel the enthusiasm of physiological birth, who can control their body and mind in birth regardless of their surroundings, and who can actively participate in birth by experiencing the inner feelings of being a mother and childbirth. Dr Çoker, who aims to raise babies in loving environments after they are born with natural births without medication as much as possible or with "mother-baby friendly caesarean section" in the face of a medical necessity, continues her studies and consultancy services nationwide and abroad. In 2024, she was awarded the honour award by representing Turkey as one of the 5 people who support prenatal sciences in the organisation of Prenatal Sciences Partnership. In 2026, she was elected as vice president of the board of directors of ISPPM (International Society of Prenatal Perinatal Psychology and Medicine). She is currently a member of the board of directors of Elele Association for Childbirth, which she co-founded in 2015 in Turkey. ICI (International Childbirth Initiative) is the representative of the "Mother Baby Friendly Practices" formation in Turkey. It is among the goals to train all hospitals and personnel in accordance with Mother Baby Friendly Hospital practices. In this context, a very important training series was carried out in Konya with the "Konya First Step Midwife Pregnancy School Project" led by Konya Provincial Ministry of Health and Dr Leyla Şahin Usta. With this project, pregnant women in Konya can receive free training with their spouses whenever they want and one-to-one doula support in the state hospital they go to. Dr Çoker aimed to carry the Konya project to every city. It continues its studies with up-to-date information both face-to-face and online (abroad and at home).