Shocking birth of world’s oldest baby announced.
A baby has entered the world in a way that most people wouldn’t believe—even if you spelled it out for them.
Creation of the embryo explained.
In 1994, Linda Archerd and her then-husband created four embryos through IVF—one became her daughter, and the rest were frozen.
After giving birth to her daughter, Archerd left the remaining three embryos in long-term cryogenic storage.
For nearly three decades, Archerd paid thousands to keep the embryos preserved, unsure of what would become of them.
Even after separating from her husband, she couldn’t bring herself to discard, donate to science, or give them away anonymously.
It’s estimated that more than a million embryos sit in storage across the U.S.—most will never be used.
Discarding them feels wrong to many. Donating them feels too personal. Freezing them forever? That’s become the default.
“I couldn’t just throw them away,” Archerd told MIT Technology Review, explaining why she waited so long.
A family’s search highlighted.
Archerd found Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which lets donors pick who gets their embryos based on religious, racial, and marital preferences.
“I didn’t want to go out of the country,” Archerd said. She wanted her biological daughter’s future sibling to grow up in the U.S.
That’s when she was matched with Lindsey and Tim Pierce, a Christian couple who had been trying to conceive for seven years.
After failed attempts to get pregnant, the Pierces turned to embryo adoption—hoping to finally become parents.
Transfer attempt detailed.
The clinic in Tennessee accepted the 30-year-old embryo and committed to attempting the transfer, despite its age.
This was no ordinary procedure—the embryo had been frozen longer than most people’s adult lives.
Despite doubts about viability, doctors went ahead with the implantation.
After the transfer, Lindsey and Tim waited in nervous anticipation, unsure if anything would come of it.
To their joy and disbelief, the pregnancy was successful—and baby Thaddeus was on his way.
Shocking birth confirmed.
On a quiet Saturday in 2025, Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born—healthy, happy, and completely unaware of his icy past.
“It’s like something from a sci-fi movie,” Lindsey said after giving birth to the world’s oldest known frozen embryo baby.
Thaddeus’ birth shattered the previous record held by twins born from 1992 embryos in 2022.
“We weren’t trying to break records,” Lindsey said. “We just wanted to have a baby.”
Linda Archerd hasn’t met baby Thaddeus in person yet—but says she already sees a resemblance to her daughter.
Thaddeus and Archerd’s daughter are full genetic siblings—just born three decades apart.
This case highlights new questions in embryo adoption: is it parenting, science, or something in between?
Though not biologically related to the Pierces, Thaddeus is every bit their son—and Archerd wanted it that way.
Experts say there are thousands of unused embryos still frozen—some from the ’90s or even earlier.
Social media erupted in awe: “This baby is older than my high school diploma,” one user joked. “Let it gooooo,” sang another.
Fertility experts say this appears to be the longest an embryo has been frozen before a successful live birth.
It all started with one frozen hope.
Thaddeus isn’t just a baby—he’s a living time capsule from another century.
The odds were long, the wait was epic, but the result? A perfectly healthy baby boy.
After years of heartbreak, the Pierces now hold their miracle—equal parts science and soul.
What began in a lab in 1994 has become a 2025 headline—and a life that’s just getting started.