Age-defying birth: Newborn in Ohio from embryo that was frozen more than three decades ago sets world record.
In a groundbreaking development for reproductive medicine, a baby boy named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born in July 2025 from an embryo that had been frozen since May 1994. This marks the longest-known duration between embryo cryopreservation and live birth, breaking the previous record held by twins born from embryos frozen for about 30 years [1][2][3].
The embryo was originally created through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) by Linda Archerd and her then-husband. After Archerd's family was complete, she decided to donate the embryos to Lindsey and Tim Pierce, a couple from Ohio, United States. The Pierces were able to carry the pregnancy to term, resulting in the birth of Thaddeus.
The IVF process involves extracting eggs from the ovaries and fertilising them with sperm outside the body in an IVF center laboratory [4]. In this case, the embryo was frozen and preserved since the early 1990s, marking an impressive milestone.
The birth of Thaddeus could provide hope for families seeking alternative paths to parenthood. It's worth noting that when embryos are properly frozen and survive thawing and screening, their age does not necessarily pose a risk [1][2][3].
Interestingly, the eight children, four girls and four boys including one set of identical twins, were born using DNA from three people [1]. This is believed to be the longest an embryo has been frozen before leading to a successful live birth.
The three-person IVF technique used in this case was developed by scientists in the UK to spare children from genetic mitochondrial disease [5]. Linda Archerd, the donor of the embryo, specified that it be adopted by a Caucasian, married, and Christian couple from the United States [6].
The remaining three embryos were frozen and stored for decades. Archerd, now 62, had created four embryos, one of which led to the birth of her daughter [6]. Archerd found a Christian embryo adoption agency to be involved with the baby that would be born from her embryos [6].
The baby boy's birth occurred on Saturday, bringing joy to the Pierce family and marking a significant achievement in the field of reproductive medicine. This milestone underscores the potential of IVF treatments to help many individuals realise their dream of becoming parents.
- The groundbreaking use of technology in reproductive medicine, the three-person IVF technique, is rooted in scientific advancements, potentially alleviating genetic mitochondrial diseases.
- The baby boy Thaddeus's birth, preserved from an embryo frozen for 21 years, highlights the capabilities of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise focused family-health practices.
- Moreover, in environmental-science and space-and-astronomy, further advancements may enable us to extend life preservation methods to astronauts, facilitating long-term space travel.
- The success of men's health therapies and treatments, as demonstrated by Thaddeus's birth, has paved the way for future parenting options, opening new frontiers for Medicare policies.
- Womens-health and reproductive rights are also greatly impacted by this advancement, potentially offering a response to existing questions concerning ethics and consent in medical procedures.
- As research progresses in the fields of science and technology, we can look forward to the continued improvement of diverse therapies and treatments that significantly impact the well-being of families and individuals around the globe.
