The tot’s embryo was created along with three others during a course of IVF in the 1990s
THE world’s “oldest baby” has been born from an embryo frozen before either of his parents even started school.
More than thirty years after his embryo was frozen, Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born on July 26 to Ohio parents Lindsey and Tim Pierce.
The tot, who has broken the record for the oldest baby, even has a 30-year-old sister – who is now a mum herself to a 10-year-old girl.
The title was previously held by twins who were created from embryos frozen 30 years before their birth.
“We didn’t go into it expecting we would break any records,” Lindsay told the MIT Technology Review. All we wanted was a child.
In the 1990s, Linda Archerd and her ex-husband had IVF, and Thaddeus’ embryo was produced along with three others.
One of the embryos was implanted into Linda who conceived her now 30-year-old daughter.
After Linda and her boyfriend split up, the remaining embryos were placed in long-term storage before being offered for adoption.
Embryo adoptions are more typical in the US – particularly at Christian clinics – to help families struggling to conceive.
After seven years trying for a baby, Lindsey and Tim signed up for the same programme and were offered Thaddeus’s embryo.
“We had a rough birth, but we’re both doing well now,” Lindsey said.
“He is so chill. We are in awe that we have this precious baby,” she added.
It was the first time in US history that a baby girl was born from a 25-year-old embryo in 2017.
Little Emma Wren Gibson weighed 6lbs 8oz and measured 20 inches long when she was born.
According to Tina and Benjamin Gibson, her parents, they were “thankful and blessed” to have their daughter and indicated that her record status was their last concern, concentrating exclusively on her health.
They said they were surprised when they were told the exact age of the embryo, thawed on March 13 at the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC).
Are you aware that I’m only twenty-five? “I could have been best friends with this embryo,” Tina told CNN.
Tina, who was 26 at the time, said she just wanted a baby and didn’t care if it was going to be a world record or not.
“We simply feel really fortunate and grateful. She is a priceless gift from the Lord for Christmas.
Baby Emma was created via IVF for another couple but had been left in storage for someone else.
Such embryos are referred to as “snow babies” – potential human beings left on ice awaiting birth.
Knowing that they would not be able to produce biological children due to Benjamin’s cystic disease, Tina and Benjamin got married seven years ago.
They had fostered several children and were planning on adoption before having the embryo implanted.
