Baby Girl Born from Record-Breaking 27-year-old Frozen Embryo

A baby girl born last month was 27 years in the making with a mere 18-month age gap from her mom, thanks to the wonders of the frozen embryo.

Molly Everette Gibson was born from a frozen embryo in October 1992, just months after her mother, Tina, was born in April 1991.

For 27 years, the embryo remained frozen until February 2020 when Tina and husband Benjamin Gibson, 36, adopted it from Tennessee, reported BBC.

Researchers from the University of Tennessee Preston Medical Library noted that with Molly's birth, she had officially gone in the history books as the longest-frozen embyo to result in live birth, according to New York Post.

"It's hard to wrap your head around it," Tina told The Post from her home in Knoxville, Tennessee. "But, as far as we're concerned, Molly is our little miracle."

According to a report from USA Today, the couple spent years trying for a baby-but infertility issues stood in their way.

Tina and Benjamin, 36, turned to the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) after five years of trying naturally to have their own children.

Tina and her husband, Benjamin first turned to the NEDC after trying naturally for their own child over the course of five years. Benjamin has cystic fibrosis, which could cause fertility issues.

Now, thanks to groundbreaking medical science and the process of embryo adoption, their wish to build a family has been fulfilled.

Baby from Frozen Embryo Broke Previous Record of Older Sister

Molly broke the previous record held by her older sister, Emma, who was also from of a frozen embryo for 24 years before her delivery in November 2017.

Molly and Emma were frozen together as embryos and are full genetic siblings.

Emma went through a similar process as Molly, and both of them were carried by Tina after the embryos were thawed nearly three years apart.

Disbelieving the miracle she managed to have twice, Tina shared her journey and wrote about her experience on the NEDC website.

"For so long it was something that we didn't think we'd ever have," she said. "Now that we have it... we're just soaking in every moment."

Frozen Embryos Were Donated Together, But Anonymously

In embryo adoption, families who get in vitro fertilization (IVF) donate extra embryos to couples who have difficulty in conceiving.

These embryos remain frozen until another couple receives it, allowing for them to give birth to and raise a child they are not biologically related to.

Future contact between the families varies, depending on what the donors and recipients may want.

But since the donation was done anonymously, Molly's biological parents remain unknown and the Gibsons won't be able to thank them by name.

NEDC lab director Dr. Carol Sommerfelt said the process that the Gibsons went through was "rewarding" for her.

"I feel honored to be part of the process," she added.

The couple, married for ten years now, was initially hesitant to adopt the embryos that are now Emma and Molly.

When they visited the center, they were presented with hundreds of profiles of strangers until they landed on the embryo that became Emma.

On the day of the transfer, she found out the embryo was actually 24 years old.

Considering the donors' health backgrounds, she asked her doctor, Dr. Jeffrey Keenan, what that could mean and he said "Well, it could be a world record."

Tina trusted him and she now has the results of that trust, three years later.