Historic birth: Ohio couple welcomes baby from longest-frozen embryo

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A central Ohio couple has made history after becoming parents to a baby who was frozen as an embryo more than 30 years ago, setting a record for in vitro fertilization deliveries.

Born to Lindsey and Tim Pierce of London, Ohio, on July 26, Rejoice Fertility announced the entrance of Thaddeus Daniel Pierce into the world in a news release. The clinic, operated by Dr. John Gordon, noted that the baby boy developed from an “embryo cryopreserved for more than 30 years (11,148 days), making him the longest-frozen embryo ever to result in a live birth.”

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

After dealing with infertility for seven years, the Pierces' success story began about two years ago. The couple shared on social media about their decision to adopt a “snowflake baby,” referring to the adoption of an embryo or embryos donated by another person. According to MIT Technology Review, the embryo that eventually developed into Thaddeus was one of four frozen in 1994 by a couple who had a successful pregnancy using just one of the fertilized eggs. The other three were stored by the mother for years, until being donated in 2022 to the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program.

“The baby has a 30-year-old sister,” Lindsey said.

The pair's transfer procedure took place in November 2024 at the Rejoice clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee. The three remaining embryos survived the delicate thawing process by IVF lab supervisor and embryologist Sarah Atkinson. The clinic stated that preparing slow-frozen embryos demands “complex handling that most clinics are unwilling or unable to perform.” One embryo stopped growing before the transfer; the remaining two were implanted, with one resulting in the Pierces' healthy newborn.

“This is more than a record — it’s proof that with the right expertise, every embryo has the potential for life,” said Gordon. “Our team has spent years refining specialized thawing and transfer protocols, so families like the Pierces can have the children they’ve prayed for.” 

Rejoice also holds the previous record for the longest-frozen embryo to result in a live birth. According to the clinic, in 2022, a couple had twins from embryos that were frozen for nearly 30 years or 10,905 days.

“We didn’t go into it thinking we would break any records,” said Lindsey. “We just wanted to have a baby.”