50-year-old Janet Jackson welcomes a baby boy

Janet Jackson has given birth to a son at the age of 50.

'Janet had a stress-free healthy delivery and is resting comfortably,' her publicist confirmed, adding that she and husband Wissam Al Mana are 'thrilled' with the new addition to the family.

The pair have chosen the baby name Eissa, which is of Hebrew origin, for their little boy. He is the first child for both Janet and Wissam.

Janet and Wissam pictured together in 2016

Rumours of Janet's pregnancy began to circulate in May, when a source close to the couple revealed the news to Entertainment Tonight. She later confirmed that a baby was on the way in a statement to People magazine, taking part in a maternity shoot and telling the title: 'We thank God for our blessing.'

A family friend said to People: 'She is super excited about her pregnancy and is doing extremely well. She actually feels very good about everything'.

The singer, whose hits include 'All For You' and 'The Best Things in Life Are Free', had made no secret of her desire to have children. In April, she postponed the second leg of her Unbreakable world tour to focus on 'planning a family'.

'I thought it was important that you be the first to know,' she told fans in a video posted to her Twitter account.

'My husband and I are planning our family, so I'm going to have to delay the tour. Please, if you could try and understand that it's important that I do this now, I have to rest up, doctors orders, but I have not forgotten about you, I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can.'

Janet and Wissam, her third husband, married in a 'quiet, private and beautiful' ceremony in 2012, although she did not confirm the news until almost a year later.

'We would appreciate that our privacy is respected and that we are allowed this time for celebration and joy,' she said at the time.