The written rules governing donated sperm to hospital test tube baby clinics discriminate against lesbian women, the equal opportunities commission said on Tuesday.

The commission looked into the case of a lesbian couple who were refused ivf help by Leiden’s academic hospital. The hospital, which does not have its own sperm bank, says under current legislation it can only help couples who do not need donated sperm.
The commission said it was very possible that no-one had considered the case of lesbian women when the legislation was drawn up. A lesbian couple cannot get treatment because by definition they will always need donated sperm, the commission said.
It has referred the case to the health ministry.