Baby born from embryo that had been frozen more than 30 years

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI, Associated Press

A baby boy born to an Ohio couple developed from an embryo that had been frozen for more than 30 years — believed to be the longest storage time before a birth.

In what’s known as embryo adoption, Lindsey and Tim Pierce used donated embryos that had been frozen since 1994 in pursuit of having a child. Their son Thaddeus was born July 26 from an embryo that had been in storage for 11,148 days, which the Pierces’ doctor says sets a record.

It’s a concept that has been around since the 1990s but is gaining traction as some fertility clinics and advocates, often Christian-centered, oppose discarding leftover embryos because of their belief that life begins at or around conception and that all embryos deserve to be treated like children who need a home.