A 65-year-old Bnei Brak woman has given birth to her first child after being impregnated by in-vitro fertilization outside of Israel, where the process is illegal beyond the age of 54.
The Chassidic woman, Hana Shahar, and her unnamed 5.9-pound baby boy are doing fine after a Caesarean section operation at Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv.
Shahar has been childless during her 46-year-old marriage.
She is the second-oldest woman ever to have give birth, two years younger than a Spanish woman who gave birth shortly before she was 67.
Statistically, the dangers from pregnancy increase dramatically when a woman approaches the age of 50, but some women in the 50s have been able to give birth without problems.
Hana Shahar and her husband obviously are overjoyed.
The baby, God willing, will be named at the Brit circumcision next week.