Baby Born From 27-Year-Old Frozen Embryo Is Just 18 Months Younger Than Her Mom

A baby from a 27-year old embryo was born in October, setting the new record for the longest-frozen embryo to ever come to birth.

Molly Everette Gibson was born from an embryo that was frozen in October 1992 — only 18 months after her 29-year-old mother, Tina Gibson of Tennessee, was born in 1991.

“It’s hard to wrap your head around it,” Tina told The New York Post. “But, as far as we’re concerned, Molly is our little miracle.”

Molly is believed to now hold the record for the longest-frozen embryo known to result in a live birth. The baby girl beat the record previously held by her older sister Emma, who spent 24 years on ice before being delivered back in 2017, CNN reported.

The embryos Molly and Emma came from were frozen together from the same donors. This would make the sisters full genetic siblings.

The embryos were together for 24 years before being thawed apart at the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) in 2017 for Emma's conception in Tina's uterus. Since they were donated anonymously, their biological parents remain unknown.

“It is very rewarding for me to see an embryo that was frozen years ago result in the birth of a lovely baby,” said NEDC lab director Carol Sommerfelt. “I feel honored to be part of the process.”

Tina and her husband Ben Gibson, 36, turned to the NEDC after being unable to conceive naturally for five years. Ben was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, which could cause infertility.

The couple had previously fostered children and were considering traditional adoption until Tina's parents told them about the non-profit organization.

“We were like, ‘That sounds crazy. No, thank you, we’re not interested,’” recalled Tina of the prospect of conceiving with a donor embryo. “Then we kept thinking about it and couldn’t get it out of our minds.”

The Gibsons' visit to the NEDC turned out to be fruitful and they were presented with profiles of about 300 strangers who donated their embryos. Being a rather short pair, they narrowed down their choices to donors who were short in stature.

But while Emma and Molly's births may be great feats in the field of science, Tina seemed unfazed by it.

“To us, it’s more unbelievable that we have two precious little children that we never thought we could have,” the mother-of-two said. “We hold Molly — this itty bitty baby — and we feel blessed.”