Oldest human embryo used in a successful pregnancy

The oldest human embryo used in a successful pregnancy is at least 31 years 56 days old, as verified with the birth of Thaddeus Daniel Pierce (USA) to Lindsey and Tim Pierce (both USA) in London, Ohio, USA, on 26 July 2025.

The embryo was one of four created in May 1994 during IVF by Linda Archerd (USA) and her then‑husband. One resulted in a daughter born in 1995 and the remaining three were frozen in liquid nitrogen at -196 °C and later donated through through Snowflakes embryo‑adoption program. After being matched with the Pierce family in late 2024, the embryos were transferred across the country to Rejoice Fertility clinic in Tennessee. They were then thawed by Head Embryologist, Sarah Coe Atkinson, MSc, and all survived the thaw - with two continuing to grow from 4 cells and 7 cells to blastocysts.

On 11 November 2024, two embryos were transferred at Rejoice Fertility by Dr. John David Gordon and embryologist, Sarah Coe Atkinson to Thaddeus’s mother, Lindsey Pierce, and one embryo subsequently developed into Thaddeus.

The Rejoice Fertility team of Dr. John David Gordon and Sarah Coe Atkinson were the same duo who achieved the previous record (Ridgeway twins - 30 years 192 days) in October 2022.