Baby born from embryo frozen 24 years ago

US mum gives birth to a baby who was frozen as an embryo for more than 24 years.

It is the longest known frozen human embryo to be born.

The US National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) announced on Tuesday that Emma Wren was born on November 25 to Tina Gibson, 26, from Tennessee.

This means Gibson carried an embryo that was conceived about 18 months after she herself was born, a press release stated.

Baby Emma was cryopreserved in 1992 and placed in Tina’s uterus through “frozen embryo transfer” earlier this year.

Emma’s parents, Tina and Benjamin Gibson of eastern Tennessee, admit feeling surprised when they were told the exact age of the embryo thawed in March 13 by Carol Sommerfelt, embryology lab director at the National Embryo Donation Center.

“Do you realize I’m only 25? This embryo and I could have been best friends,” Tina Gibson said.

Tina explained to CNN, “I just wanted a baby. I don’t care if it’s a world record or not.”

“My husband has cystic fibrosis, so infertility is common,” Tina said, adding that they had found peace with it. “We had decided that we were more than likely going to adopt, and we were fine with that.” Tina’s father suggested embryo adoption. She looked into it and they began the process a few months later.

“Emma is such a sweet miracle,” Benjamin Gibson, Tina’s husband, said.

“I think she looks pretty perfect to have been frozen all those years ago.”

Dr Jeffrey Kennan, NEDC’s director, said he hoped Emma’s story inspires others to donate their embryos to families in need.

“It is deeply moving and highly rewarding to see that embryos frozen 24.5 years ago using the old, early cryopreservation techniques of slow freezing on day one of development at the pronuclear stage can result in 100 per cent survival of the embryos with a 100 per cent continued proper development to the Day-3 embryo stage,” said NEDC laboratory director, Carol Sommerfelt.

Read more of their story here.

What an amazing story! This offers so much hope to many couples.

Share your comments below.

25 Comments

- - mom81879 said
  - 31 Mar 2019
    4:42 pm
Wow, twenty four years frozen is a long time, nearly a lifetime. Remarkable what science has to offer infertile coupkes now a days

- - ella12 said
  - 08 Jan 2018
    2:23 pm
That is certainly amazing, thanks for sharing.

- - Aida Moroccan said
  - 08 Jan 2018
    6:25 am
Wow it’s a beautiful miracle

- - mom81879 said
  - 04 Jan 2018
    7:10 pm
Wow just wow, the medical world continues to impress. I hope the baby grows with no difficulties and is healthy throughout life

- - june11 said
  - 03 Jan 2018
    4:11 pm
This is astounding news and information. I’m glad frozem embryos no longer needed can be given to a couple who desperately yearn for a baby but are unable to have one for genuine medical reasons.

- - mom112217 said
  - 03 Jan 2018
    3:25 pm
A very moving story,wishing the family all the best.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 03 Jan 2018
    1:37 pm
That’s amazing! I never even knew technology like this existed!

- - welshmummy said
  - 01 Jan 2018
    11:00 am
Absolutely amazing. So happy for them. A friend of mine donated her eggs years ago to help others have children. A very painful procedure but she said it was worth it.

- - Shell24 said
  - 31 Dec 2017
    10:26 pm
Wow! Isn’t science and technology amazing!

- - mom62527 said
  - 30 Dec 2017
    5:39 am
Wow unbelievable it’s amazing what technology we gave to make the miracle of having a child be possible. That’s such a long time to be a frozen embryo, yet look it all worked out in the end.

- - taynik46 said
  - 29 Dec 2017
    12:27 pm
wow that is an amazing story – how remarkable is medical and science technology that a human life can be frozen, thawed and transplanted and born like this – just amazing – a credit to all our medical and science personnel who work so hard to create miracles

- - Ellen said
  - 27 Dec 2017
    4:11 am
I found it most amazing that they still can use an embryo after it has been frozen for 24 years ! that it can bring forth a new human life is truly miraculous !!

- - mom101628 said
  - 26 Dec 2017
    8:20 pm
What a fantastic outcome. Do hope more people will consider donating their unwanted embryos to those who would otherwise have no hope of conceiving. Those who have had cancer treatments while they were very young spring to mind.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 25 Dec 2017
    3:40 pm
Today’s technology and medical science is truly amazing!

- - tessie said
  - 24 Dec 2017
    10:59 am
OMG she is a little miracle. Congratulations to the happy couple on the birth of their daughter.

- - mom94125 said
  - 23 Dec 2017
    10:01 am
wow that is such an advance! i hope that all goes well down the track as that would be good to hear about

- - musicmum said
  - 23 Dec 2017
    2:46 am
Will the baby grow up to healthy and normal? Have to wait and see. With so many babies that need adopting it is sad they are getting more and more left behind with IVF and now this.

- - mom160421 said
  - 22 Dec 2017
    5:41 pm
It will be interesting to follow this baby’s progress.

- - BellaB said
  - 22 Dec 2017
    12:14 pm
Very impressive – although embryo adoption is complicated.

- - Shell24 said
  - 22 Dec 2017
    10:26 am
Wow! What an amazing relationship science and technology have! Welcome to the world (finally!) baby Emma!