6Manushi was born three months early and weighing less than a chocolate barCredit: Newslions / SWNS

6Incredibly, she survived and is now six months old and ready to be discharged from hospitalCredit: Newslions / SWNS

She was delivered by emergency c-section after her mum became unwell and her life was in danger.

Measuring just 8.6inches long she had underdeveloped lungs, heart, brain, kidneys and had paper-thin skin.

She has spent the last six months in a neonatal intensive care unit at Jivanta Children’s Hospital in India and, incredibly, is set to be discharged next week.

She now weighs a healthy 5.2lbs.

6When she was born her foot was no bigger than her dad’s thumbnailCredit: Newslions / SWNS

Her mum Seeta, 48, and dad Giriraj, 50, from Rajasthan, India, call her their real life miracle.

“She’s just fought and fought and fought against all the odds, but she’s made it,” Seeta said.

Seeta suffered dangerously high blood pressure during her pregnancy and an ultrasound at 28 weeks revealed a lack of blood flow to the placenta.

Doctors made the decision to perform an emergency c-section on June 15 and Manushi was put on a ventilator and transferred to intensive care.

6Manushi was no much bigger than a handCredit: Newslions / SWNS

6Manushi, pictured with her mother Seeta, shows no sign of brain damageCredit: Newslions / SWNS

She was given a 0.5 per cent chance of survival.

Dr Sunil Janged, chief neonatologist at the hospital, said: “When the baby was born, we were uncertain of what could happen.

“She was struggling to breathe, so was immediately put on advanced respiratory support ventilator to expand her tiny, immature lungs.

“She could not be fed adequately due to immaturity of her gut.

6Manushi with her mum Seeta and dad Giriraj and the team of doctors who saved her lifeCredit: Newslions / SWNS

“We had to start the baby on total parenteral nutrition, which basically means giving all the essential nutrients such as amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, multivitamins and trace elements directly into blood circulation.”

Within seven weeks little Manushi was able to start taking her mother’s breast milk.

She slowly began to breathe on her own and her brain and eyes are developing normally.

Hospital director Dr Sunil Janged added: “We decided to save the life of the baby and offer her necessary medical care and attention because we wanted to send out a message that a girl child must be protected.

“In a state like Rajasthan where female infanticide is rampant, people have to come forward and take steps to end this evil practice.”

The smallest baby ever born is thought to be Emilia Grabarczyk, who was born weighing 8oz in Witten, Germany, in 2015.