₦airaland Forum

A boy born in Ohio from an embryo that was frozen for over three decades has reportedly set a new world record as the world's "oldest baby".

Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born to parents Lindsey and Tim Pierce on 26 July, about 31 years after his embryo was frozen.

After trying for seven years to conceive a baby, the couple from London, Ohio, chose to adopt an embryo created through IVF in 1994 by Linda Archerd, now 62 years old, and her then-husband.

"We had a rough birth, but we are both doing well now,” Lindsey Pierce told MIT Technology Review. "He is so chill. We are in awe that we have this precious baby!"

Ms Pierce said they didn't "go into it thinking we would break any records. We just wanted a baby".

The newborn is believed to have broken the record for the “oldest” baby, which was previously held by twins born in 2022 from embryos frozen in 1992.

She said her family and church family think “it’s like something from a sci-fi movie”.

Ms Archerd created four embryos, out of which one became her daughter, now aged 30, and three others were left in storage.

Despite her separation from her husband, Ms Archerd was adamant about not discarding the embryos, donating them for research, or anonymously giving them to another family. She said it was essential for her to remain involved in the process, as the child would be a biological sibling to her adult daughter.

“It’s my DNA; it came from me … and [it’s] my daughter’s sibling,” she told the MIT Technological Review.

She reportedly spent thousands of dollars annually on storage until she discovered Nightlight Christian Adoptions – a faith-based agency that runs the Snowflakes program. The initiative allows embryo donors to select the adoptive couple after taking into account preferences such as religion, race, and nationality.

Ms Archerd said she requested a married, Caucasian, Christian couple based in the US. "I didn’t want to go out of the country," she added.

“It's been pretty surreal. It’s hard to even believe," said Ms Archerd, who is yet to meet the baby.

JASONjnr:
This is science and far beyond what we are being taught in the Nigerian schools.

Aleister:
These Americans won’t seize to amaze us

Aleister:
These Americans won’t seize to amaze us

Stephen0mozzy:
Chai..... Science!!!!!!

1000 years ago, scientists would have been like sorcerers and definitely burnt at the stakes. Thank goodness for civilization that gave science the wings to touch the creative hands of God!

To hit pause on life and still press play at will - that's more than magical

campbelljosh:
I hope the baby turns out well without difformity

GanagiBitrus:
Maybe one day, scientists will also be able to freeze a human being & revive him after 100years to continue his life.

PheelzAlmighty:
See problem o
What if na demon possessed?
29 more characters needed

BlackViper:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/worlds-oldest-baby-frozen-embryo-ohio-couple-b2800161.html

DiamondsAreFore:
Fascinating. It is the embryo which eventually develops into the foetus 8 weeks after conception.

But that development can be suspended, and the embryo can be cryogenically preserved indefinitely until such future date as the parents are ready to have the child.

But the process of cryogenic preservation is very expensive which is why only the wealthy are doing it.