Skip to main content
On Air Now

World's 'oldest baby' born from 30-year-old frozen embryo

A baby boy born on Saturday holds the new record for the “oldest baby.”
A baby boy born on Saturday holds the new record for the “oldest baby.”. Picture: Lindsey Pierce via MIT Technology Review

By Alice Padgett

A baby boy born from an embryo frozen in 1994 has broken the record for the world's 'oldest baby'.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Lindsey, 35, and Tim Pierce, 34, who live in London, Ohio, welcomed Thaddeus Daniel Pierce on Saturday.

The Pierces tried to have a child for seven years before they decide to undergo IVF.

"It's like something from a sci-fi movie," Ms Pierce's family told MIT Technology Review.

They adopted the embryo Linda Archerd, 62, made with her ex-husband in 1994.

Ms Archerd initially created four embryos, which were frozen.

One became her now-30-year-old daughter but the other three were put into storage.

Read More: No babies called Keir as Britain's most popular newborn names revealed - See full list

Read More: Man, 76, arrested for 'administering poison' after eight children hospitalised at UK summer camp

Lindsey and Tim Pierce tried to have a child for seven years before they decide to undergo IVF.
Lindsey and Tim Pierce tried to have a child for seven years before they decide to undergo IVF. Picture: Lindsey Pierce via MIT Technology Review

Despite separating from her husband, Ms Archerd did not want to get rid of the embryos - she wanted to donate them for research or give them to another family anonymously.

However, she wanted to be involved with the baby as they would be related to her daughter.

Ms Archerd paid thousands of dollars a year to store her embryos until she found Nightlight Christian Adoptions.

The Christian embryo adoption agency runs a programme called Snowflakes, which many believe to be saving lives.

Ms Archerd was allowed to chose the couple the embryo went to.

She specified she wanted a married, Caucasian, Christian couple that lives in the US, she told MIT Technology Review.

Download the LBC app!
Download the LBC app! Picture: LBC

Rejoice Fertility, the IVF clinic in Tennessee where the Pierces underwent the procedure, said its aim was to transfer any embryo it received, no matter the age or conditions.

Ms Pierce said they did not set out to "break any records", but just "wanted to have a baby".

Ms Archerd said she had not met the baby yet, but could already see a resemblance with her daughter in photos, she told MIT Technology Review.