322RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE ON MEDICAL PRACTICE: ANALYZING POLICY CONFLICTS IN OBSTETRIC AND GYNECOLOGICAL CARE IN WEST BENGALThis study examines the impact of religious affiliation and institutional policies on the clinical practices of obstetricians and gynecologists in West Bengal, India, specifically within the context of the Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital. Using a surname-based stratified sampling approach, we surveyed 3,000 physicians from the Physician Registry, achieving a 66% response rate. The survey explored affiliations with religious institutions, experiences of policy-related conflicts, and responses to clinical scenarios involving ectopic pregnancy treatment. Results showed that a majority of obstetricians and gynecologists in West Bengal work in religiously affiliated hospitals, with Hindu and Christian institutions predominating. Physicians with high religious affiliation were more likely to work in similarly affiliated institutions, although religious non-affiliation was common among younger practitioners. Nearly one-third (32%) of respondents in religiously affiliated hospitals reported experiencing conflicts due to religious policies, with the highest incidence in Hindu-affiliated institutions. Conflicts typically involved limitations on reproductive healthcare practices, where institutional religious policies conflicted with clinical autonomy. Despite these conflicts, the majority of physicians recommended medically accepted procedures such as salpingectomy or salpingostomy in cases of ectopic pregnancy, indicating a commitment to evidencebased practices. This study highlights the need for policy adjustments to balance institutional values with medical ethics, ensuring that healthcare providers in religiously affiliated institutions retain clinical autonomy. Further research could explore these dynamics in other regions of India and assess the long-term impact of religiously motivated policy restrictions on patient care outcomesDr. Sudipta Paul@gmail.comResearch1222022Religious Affiliation, Healthcare Policy, Obstetrician-Gynecologist,, Ectopic Pregnancy, Institutional Conflict, Clinical Autonomy, West BengalDr. Sudipta PaulAssociate Professor, Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Durgapur, West Bengal, India