Many couples want to start a family, but struggle with fertility problems. Luckily, they can explore other options, like adopting children, fostering children and having children through in vitro fertilization (IVF). That's where doctors extract eggs
from the mother and manually combine them with a sperm sample in a laboratory ('in vitro' = "outside the body"). Then the fertilized egg - aka embryo - is implanted in the uterus. Science is amazing, isn't it?
Since the first procedure in 1978, IVF has helped many couples have children, including celebrities
and
. Every successful birth is special, but the latest one has broken a record: It's the longest known frozen human embryo to be implanted in a uterus, and delivered.
Tina and Benjamin Gibson got married seven years ago, but knew that having biological children would be difficult.
"My husband has cystic fibrosis, so infertility is common," Tina told CNN. "We had decided that we were more than likely going to adopt, and we were fine with that."
That is, until one day Tina's dad called and told her about IVF. At first, she dismissed the idea, because she was "knee-deep in foster care." But during a long car ride, she began to seriously consider the "embryo adoption." She suggested IVF to her husband, and he revealed he'd actually been thinking about it "the whole time."
The couple visited the National Embryo Donation Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, and started the process of finding a donor. After looking through 300 profiles, they selected three frozen embryos - aka "snow-babies" to adopt. (Typically three are chosen, because there is a 25-30% success rate). All three embryos were transferred, and one implanted. Tina says it "worked out perfect."
Emma Wren Gibson was born on November 25, weighing six pounds and eight ounces, and measuring 20 inches long. The embryo was donated 24 years ago, and her mother is only one year older than that. "Do you realize I'm only 25? This embryo and I could have been best friends," said Tina. "I just wanted a baby. I don't care if it's a world record or not."
"Emma is such a
," said Benjamin, in the NEDC's press release. "I think she looks pretty perfect to have been frozen all those years ago."
The couple that donated the "snowbaby" has remained anonymous. It's pretty incredible that a 24-year-old frozen embryo could be born today. She's the oldest baby ever. Or is she a time traveler? Maybe Emma be like most 24-year-old millennials, and obsess over 80's and 90's nostalgia. And who knows? Maybe one day this record will be broken. "We will adopt out an embryo whenever," said a doctor from the donation center. "Sometimes, embryos have been in storage for a few weeks, maybe a few months. Sometimes, it's literally been decades."
Congratulations to Tina and Benjamin on
Emma! (But since she's a time traveller, you should probably rename her Doc Brown or Marty).
