Oldest embryo in the world: baby born 28 years after fertilization of egg

Knoxville, Tennessee - Molly Everette Gibson from Tennessee is only a few weeks old. The baby girl was born on October 26. But the embryo from which she developed is quite a bit older than that – 28 years older, to be precise!

Molly Everette Gibson came into the world 28 years after the embryo was selected for preservation (stock image).
Molly Everette Gibson came into the world 28 years after the embryo was selected for preservation (stock image).  © 123RF / Evgeny Atamanenko

Freezing fertilized eggs and transferring them to a woman's uterus has been around for decades, and Molly's case shows how advanced the level of medicine was, even in 1992.

According to several media reports, the embryo of an anonymous donor was frozen in October of that year and then stored at the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) in Knoxville until its implantation in February 2020, according to several media reports.

That was the long journey of little Molly, who was born a full 28 years after her embryo was selected for preservation.

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This makes Molly the longest-frozen embryo ever to be carried to term, according to the results of research conducted by the University of Tennessee Preston Medical Library, as reported by ABC News.

The previous holder of the record for oldest frozen embryo was, of all people, her sister Emma Wren Gibson, whose embryo was frozen together with Molly's in 1992.

Cover photo: 123RF / Evgeny Atamanenko

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