In a groundbreaking moment for reproductive science, a baby boy named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born in Ohio to Lindsey, 35, and Tim Pierce, 34, from an embryo frozen for an astonishing 30 years. This exceptional birth, reported Saturday, has set a remarkable world record and has left the Pierce family marveling at the experience, likening it to a scene out of a science fiction movie.
Thaddeus's birth marks the longest duration an embryo has been frozen before resulting in a successful live birth, surpassing the previous record held by twins born in 2022 from embryos frozen in 1992. The couple, who faced challenges for seven years while trying to conceive, ultimately chose to adopt an embryo created by Linda Archerd in 1994 through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Archerd had initially produced four embryos, with one resulting in her now-adult daughter, while the other three remained in storage after her separation from her husband.
Rather than discard or donate the remaining embryos, Archerd opted to select a couple herself. Through Nightlight Christian Adoptions, a Christian embryo adoption agency, she aimed to find a suitable family—a married Caucasian Christian couple residing in the United States. Eventually, she matched with the Pierces, who were overjoyed to receive the opportunity to become parents through this unique path.
Rejoice Fertility, the Tennessee-based IVF clinic managing the procedure, noted a commitment to transferring any embryo received, regardless of its age. While the Pierces did not set out to break any records, their primary desire was simply to welcome a child into their lives.
Linda Archerd, while yet to meet the baby in person, expressed excitement at the resemblance she perceives between Thaddeus and her adult daughter, embracing the connection fostered by the shared genetic link stemming from her original embryos.
