World’s ‘oldest baby’ born from 31-year-old frozen embryo

A baby boy born to an Ohio couple last week is believed to be the world’s oldest baby ever born from a frozen embryo — one that had been in storage for more than 30 years.

The embryo, originally frozen in 1994, was successfully implanted in Lindsey Pierce earlier this year. She and her husband, Tim Pierce, welcomed their son on Saturday. According to their doctor, the embryo had been frozen for 11,148 days, setting what is believed to be a new world record for the longest-frozen embryo to result in a live birth.

The Pierces pursued embryo adoption after years of struggling with infertility. Their son was born with the help of Rejoice Fertility, a Tennessee-based clinic known for working with older embryos and refusing to discard frozen ones.

The embryo was originally created by Linda Archerd in 1994 during her own IVF treatment. After giving birth to a daughter and later divorcing her husband, Archerd was left with unused embryos and an emotional decision about what to do with them.

“For decades, I didn’t know what the right thing to do was,” said Archerd, now 62. “But I always felt these embryos deserved a chance at life.”

In time, she connected with Snowflakes Embryo Adoption, a program through Nightlight Christian Adoptions that facilitates open embryo adoptions and allows donors to choose the adoptive family.

“I wanted to be a part of this baby's life,” Archerd said. “And I wanted to know the adopting parents.”

Of the three embryos donated to the Pierces, one didn’t survive thawing. Two were implanted, and one successfully led to a full-term pregnancy.

Dr. John David Gordon, medical director at Rejoice Fertility, confirmed that this marks the longest-known frozen embryo to result in a birth. He previously oversaw the 2022 record, when twins were born from embryos frozen for nearly 30 years.

“These stories capture public imagination,” Gordon said. “But they also highlight a growing issue — why are so many embryos sitting unused in storage for decades?”

Roughly 1.5 million embryos are currently frozen in storage across the United States. While only around 2% of U.S. births involve IVF, embryo adoption remains relatively rare.

The topic has become more complex in the wake of a 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling, which recognized frozen embryos as having the same legal status as children. The ruling prompted legal and ethical debates and forced clinics in the state to pause procedures temporarily until lawmakers approved liability protections.

For Archerd, the experience has been emotional — a combination of joy, grief, and hope.

“I’m just so relieved they were given a chance,” she said. “It’s bittersweet. I couldn't raise them, but now they have a future.”

She hopes to one day meet the Pierce family and the child her embryo became. The Pierces, meanwhile, say their focus is on their long-awaited child — not the record.

“We didn’t go into this thinking about making history,” said Lindsey Pierce. “We just wanted to have a baby.”