A newborn baby boy in Ohio has made history… not just with his arrival, but with the extraordinary journey that led to his birth. The infant was born from an embryo frozen over 30 years ago, believed to be the longest time an embryo has ever been preserved before leading to a successful birth.
After battling infertility for years, Tim and Lindsey Pierce turned to embryo adoption and received three embryos donated in 1994. One of those embryos… frozen for 11,148 days… was successfully implanted, leading to the birth of their son last Saturday. According to their fertility specialist, Dr. John David Gordon of Rejoice Fertility in Knoxville, Tennessee, this birth now holds the record for the longest-frozen embryo to result in a live birth.
The embryo was donated by 62-year-old Linda Archerd, who originally turned to IVF in 1994 and stored four embryos. After giving birth to one child and going through a divorce, she never returned to use the remaining embryos.
Years later, she connected with Snowflakes Embryo Adoption Program, a Christian-based service that helps families adopt embryos instead of letting them go unused. “I always believed those embryos deserved a chance at life, just like my daughter,” said Archerd.
In the U.S., only around 2% of births involve in vitro fertilization, and even fewer are the result of embryo donations. Despite that, experts estimate roughly 1.5 million frozen embryos are currently in storage, often caught in limbo as families struggle with what to do with them.
The topic has gained more attention following a controversial 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling that granted frozen embryos the legal status of children, creating legal and ethical complications for clinics and parents alike.
For Archerd, finding the Pierces and giving her embryos a second chance was deeply emotional. “It’s been bittersweet,” she admitted. “I’m relieved they were given life, even if it couldn’t be with me. And I hope one day I get to meet the baby.”
The Pierces weren’t seeking records or headlines… just a child to love. “We didn’t do this to break any records,” said Lindsey Pierce. “We just wanted to grow our family.”
While only one embryo successfully implanted, it was enough to create a miracle decades in the making… and a story that speaks to the potential of science, faith, and the unshakable hope of parenthood.
