SYNOPSIS --The popularity of in-vitro fertilization has led to the unintended consequence of thousands of frozen embryos in clinics around the globe that may never be needed. As such, the world of embryo adoption has been born, and a Canadian couple is on the forefront of a brave new world.

All over the world couples are turning to in-vitro fertilization in the hopes that science can provide children where nature cannot. One unintended consequence is that clinics are storing thousands of frozen embryos that may never be needed.

All over the world couples are turning to in-vitro fertilization in the hopes that science can provide children where nature cannot.

Researchers would like some of the embryos to advance investigations that might lead to new cures for old diseases. But in a twist to the on-going abortion debate, some feel that destroying embryos for research is tantamount to murder.

They propose that these excess embryos could find new wombs. As such, the whole world of embryo adoption has been born, and a Canadian couple is on the forefront of a brave new world.

Four-year-old Haley Bentham of Mississauga, Ont., has a twin sister in the United States who is two months old.

"They would have been conceived at the same time but born four years apart," said Karen Bentham.

Bentham and her husband Paul started their family with the help of a Canadian fertility clinic, which created embryos with his sperm and her eggs.

Doctors eventually created seven embryos. Two were implanted in Karen Bentham's uterus and the remaining five were frozen for use another time.

Bentham became pregnant with Haley on the first try and two years later they had a son Joshua by natural conception.

However, the five remaining embryos created an ethical dilemma for the Benthams, who are devout Christians who believe that life begins at conception.

"We knew we couldn't destroy them but we also didn't know we could give them away," said Karen Bentham.

The Benthams eventually saw an article in a Christian publication about an agency that had been created to arrange the adoption of embryos.

"We knew what it was like wanting a family with every fibre of your being," Karen Bentham said. "We knew what an incredible gift we were giving them."

Snowflakes, a subsidiary of Nightlight Christian Adoptions based in California, estimates that 200,000 American women have stored embryos.

"Most of our clients believe that life begins at conception and this is the only option they can live with," said agency spokeswoman JoAnn Eiman. "...And, it's our belief that those are children."

In June 2001, the Benthams choose Steve and Kate Johnson of Reading, Pa., -- a devout Christian couple -- to be the possible parents of the embryos. Steve had been confined to a wheelchair because of a bicycle accident and the pair could not conceive naturally.

The five Bentham embryos left Toronto via courier on Nov. 19, 2001 in a flask of liquid nitrogen with a temperature of -196 degress Celsius. About one month later, Kate Johnson had the embryos placed in her uterus.

In July, a girl born prematurely weighing three pounds, one ounce was born to the Johnsons.

"Their generosity is a gift, a gift we never thought we'd get," said Kate Jonhson.