A couple from Ohio has welcomed a baby boy, Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, from an embryo that was frozen for more than three decades, establishing a new world record for the longest time an embryo has been stored before leading to a successful live birth. Lindsey, 35, and Tim Pierce, 34, expressed their awe, likening the event to a scene from a sci-fi movie according to MIT Technology Review.
Thaddeus's embryo was originally created by Linda Archerd, 62, in 1994 during her IVF treatments. Despite having created four embryos, Archerd kept three in storage due to her desire to be involved with the child that would be related to her now-adult daughter, who was derived from one of the embryos. After years of incurring significant storage costs, Archerd connected with Nightlight Christian Adoptions, a Christian embryo adoption agency that champions its role in preserving lives.
The agency facilitated Archerd's connection with the Pierces, who were seeking to grow their family after seven years of attempts to conceive. Archerd’s condition in selecting couples included preferences regarding their marital status, ethnicity, and religious beliefs—picking a married Caucasian Christian couple residing in the U.S. Ultimately, the Pierces were chosen, and they underwent the IVF process at Rejoice Fertility in Tennessee, where they were treated with inclusivity regarding the age of embryos transferred.
While the Pierces focus on their joy of having a baby rather than the record they unknowingly broke, Archerd has yet to meet her biological grandchild but already recognizes family resemblance. This case highlights the complexities and emotions surrounding embryo adoption in America, offering insight into how families are formed in the modern age of reproductive technology.
