An embryo that was frozen for 24 years has resulted in a successful birth. Emma Wren Gibson, born on November 25th in Tennessee, is the result of an embryo originally frozen on October 14, 1992.
Her parents, Tina and Benjamin Gibson, had no idea of the age of the embryo or that they would be partaking in a medical first when they chose the donar profile. In terms of chronological conception, Tina, who is now 26, is technically only a year older than her newborn baby.
‘Do you realize I'm only 25? This embryo and I could have been best friends,’ Tina Gibson told CNN when asked about her reaction to the news.
‘I just wanted a baby. I don't care if it's a world record or not,’ Tina commented.
Tina and Benjamin chose to use an donated embryo because Benjamin suffers with cystic fibrosis and was therefore infertile. They originally fostered children and were planning to adopt a child when they heard about embryo adoption.
These embryos, or ‘snowbabies’, have been created for in vitro fertilization by another, anonymous couple and left in storage until they are needed by someone unable to conceive naturally. Previously the longest time an embryo has been kept in storage before successfully creating a healthy baby is 20 years.
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