A lesbian woman in her 30s who, for medical reasons, may not be able to become pregnant has been permitted by Israel's health ministry to donate ova to her partner. After an ovum is fertilised with sperm from an anonymous donor the partner will carry the pregnancy.

Such arrangements will automatically become permissible if a bill sponsored by the ministry is passed by the Knesset (parliament). A legal adviser to the ministry, Mira Huebner, said she hoped the bill, which has been five years in the making, will be approved during the Knesset's upcoming autumn session.

The ministry previously allowed …