Israeli parents who have at least four children of the same sex and want one of the other sex can now apply to a health ministry committee for approval of preimplantation genetic diagnosis at their own expense.

Professor Avi Yisraeli, director general of the health ministry, who issued the directive on the recommendation of experts on bioethics, said the new seven member body would approve sex selection of embryos for social reasons only in very unusual cases.

Except for one case officially approved …