'Like a sci-fi movie': US baby born from 30-year-old frozen embryo breaks record
Context:
A baby boy named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born in Ohio from an embryo that had been frozen for over 30 years, setting a new world record for the longest time an embryo was frozen before a successful birth. Lindsey and Tim Pierce, who had struggled to conceive for seven years, adopted the embryo created by Linda Archerd in 1994 through IVF with her then-husband. Archerd, who had paid for the storage of the embryos for decades, chose to donate them through Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which allows donors to select the adopting family based on personal preferences. The adoption process was significant to Archerd, as it allowed her to remain connected to the child, who is related to her adult daughter. The Pierces did not intend to set a record but were focused on fulfilling their desire to start a family.
Dive Deeper:
Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born from an embryo frozen for over 30 years, marking a new world record for the longest frozen embryo to result in a live birth, surpassing the previous record of twins born from embryos frozen in 1992.
Lindsey and Tim Pierce, who had been trying to conceive for seven years, decided to adopt the embryo created by Linda Archerd and her ex-husband in 1994, which was stored for decades until a suitable adoption match was found.
Linda Archerd had initially created four embryos in 1994, with one resulting in her now 30-year-old daughter, while the remaining three were stored, as she did not want to discard or donate them for research.
Archerd used Nightlight Christian Adoptions, a Christian embryo adoption agency, to facilitate the adoption, allowing her to choose a couple based on religious and racial preferences, ultimately matching with the Pierces.
The IVF clinic, Rejoice Fertility, was responsible for the embryo transfer, emphasizing their commitment to transferring any embryo received regardless of its age or condition.
Lindsey Pierce expressed that their intention was not to break any records but to fulfill their dream of having a child, while Archerd noted the importance of having a connection to the baby, who shares a genetic link with her daughter.