Milestone in Reproductive Science: World's Oldest Baby Born from Frozen Embryo

On July 26, 2025, a baby boy named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born in Ohio, making headlines as the oldest known baby ever born from a frozen embryo. His embryo was cryopreserved in May 1994, meaning it remained frozen for over 30 years — a record-breaking 11,148 days in storage.

The Backstory

• Original Donor: Linda Archerd, who underwent IVF in 1994 and froze four embryos.
• One embryo was used immediately, resulting in a daughter born in 1994.
• The remaining three embryos were stored for decades, with Archerd paying ~$1,000 annually to preserve them.
• In 2023, she donated them through the Snowflakes program by Nightlight Christian Adoptions.

The Adoptive Parents

• Lindsey and Tim Pierce, a couple from London, Ohio, had been trying to conceive for seven years.
• They adopted one of Archerd’s embryos, which was successfully implanted and led to the birth of Thaddeus.
• Lindsey shared: “We didn’t go into it thinking we would break any records. We just wanted to have a baby.”

Lindsey and Tim Pierce at Rejoice Fertility. (Image - MIT Technology Review) 

The Baby 

Scientific & Ethical Implications

• Medical Breakthrough: Embryos can remain viable for decades if properly preserved.
• Ethical Questions: Raises concerns about the fate of millions of unused embryos globally.
• Legal Landscape: In the U.S., embryos can be stored indefinitely, unlike countries like Australia (5 years) or the UK (55 years).

Embryo Storage Comparison

Country	Storage Limit	Notes
United States	Indefinite	No federal limit; varies by state and clinic
Australia	5 years	Extensions possible with approval
United Kingdom	55 years	Extended from 10 years in 2022

Internet Reactions

• “Robbed of the 90s.”
• “So that’s how you get 30 years of experience before you start a job.”
• “Defrosting humans like leftovers and calling it a miracle.”