‘World’s oldest baby’ born from 30-year-old frozen embryo

The world’s “oldest baby” has been born in the US state of Ohio after being frozen as an embryo over thirty years ago.

Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, who was born to Lindsey and Tim, was one of three embryos frozen by Linda Archerd in 1994. The newborn has a 30-year-old sister, who has a ten-year-old daughter.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) often involves the destruction of embryos that are not selected to be implanted in the woman’s womb to develop, and the rest are cryopreserved. Rejoice Fertility, which oversaw Thaddeus’s birth, aims to reduce the number of embryos left in storage.

‘Precious’

Dr John Gordon, who founded Rejoice Fertility Clinic, stated: “Every embryo deserves a chance at life”.

Thaddeus was part of Nightlight Christian Adoptions’ Open Hearts program, which finds home for embryos that have been in storage for a long time or are expected to result in complications.

Lindsey Pierce, who had been trying for a baby for seven years, said: “We are in awe that we have this precious baby!”

‘Unborn children’

Last year, Alabama’s Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children, and that anyone who destroys one could be held legally accountable.

The judgment was in relation to a case brought by three couples whose embryos were accidentally destroyed at a fertility clinic. Their original claim had been dismissed by a lower court, which said the law only applied to foetuses inside the womb, not embryos outside of it.

But the state’s top court overturned that ruling, explaining: “Unborn children are ‘children’ under the Act, without exception based on developmental stage, physical location, or any other ancillary characteristics.”