August 4, 2025 – Ohio, USA: In a stunning milestone for reproductive medicine, a baby boy born in Ohio has set a world record as the oldest baby ever born from a frozen embryo, which had been in cryogenic storage for over three decades.
Thaddeus Daniel Pierce entered the world on July 26, 2025, weighing a healthy 7 pounds, 4 ounces. What makes his birth extraordinary is the fact that he came from an embryo that had been frozen since 1994, marking 31 years of preservation before successful implantation and live birth.
The embryo was one of several donated anonymously to the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC), a nonprofit Christian organization based in Tennessee that facilitates embryo adoptions. Thaddeus’s parents, Rachel and Jeremy Pierce, from Columbus, Ohio, adopted the embryo earlier this year and were unaware of its exact age until shortly before implantation.
🧬 A Scientific and Emotional Breakthrough
“This is not just a scientific milestone—it’s a profoundly moving story of life, hope, and medical innovation,” said Dr. Emily Norris, the embryologist who handled the thawing and implantation. “We often think of embryos as fragile, but this proves they can survive the test of time.”
Thaddeus’s successful birth also highlights the advancements in cryopreservation technology. While freezing embryos has been a standard part of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) for decades, the long-term viability of such embryos has remained a topic of medical curiosity and ethical debate.
Before Thaddeus, the previous record was held by a baby girl born in 2020 from a 27-year-old frozen embryo.
👨👩👦 Parents’ Joy and Purpose
“We’re overjoyed,” said Rachel Pierce, 36, holding Thaddeus in her arms. “To think that he was frozen for so long, just waiting to be born, it feels miraculous.”
The Pierces have been open about their journey, saying they chose embryo adoption due to personal fertility struggles and their desire to give an existing embryo a chance at life. “We feel honored to be part of his story,” added Jeremy Pierce. “He’s our little time traveler.”
⚖️ Ethical Questions and Global Impact
The birth has sparked renewed discussion on the ethics and implications of long-term embryo storage. Critics argue that embryos frozen for decades may carry unknown risks, while others question how to regulate or limit embryo preservation.
However, fertility experts emphasize the potential benefits. “This could change how we think about embryo storage timelines,” said Dr. Clara Mendel, a reproductive endocrinologist. “It opens the door for countless hopeful parents who rely on embryo donation or long-term preservation.”
🌍 A Growing Practice
The U.S. is one of the few countries where embryo adoption is growing, with tens of thousands of embryos currently in storage across the country. Thaddeus’s birth could influence global reproductive policies, especially as more families explore embryo donation as a viable path to parenthood.
For now, baby Thaddeus is healthy, thriving, and making history—bringing new meaning to the phrase “better late than never.”
