‘World’s oldest baby’ has just been born

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‘World’s oldest baby’ has just been born

Baby Thaddeus is the world's oldest baby

The world's oldest baby has just been born, setting a brand new world record.

Lindsey, 35 and Tim Pierce, 34, welcomed their son, Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, on Saturday.

But Thaddeus' birth isn't like any other. He was born from an embryo that had been frozen for over three decades.

“We had a rough birth but we are both doing well now,” Lindsey, told MIT Technology Review.

"He is so chill. We are in awe that we have this precious baby!"

Thaddeus' story began in 1994, when his parents were just children themselves.

At the time, Linda Archerd, now 62, had created four embryos with her then husband, via IVF.

One of the embryos went on to become Linda's 30-year-old daughter, while the three others were kept frozen.

While Linda had hoped to have another baby, she and her husband ended up divorcing, however, Linda won custody of the remaining embryos and paid to keep them in storage.

“I always thought it was the right thing to do,” she said.

The world's oldest baby has just been born (Getty Stock Photo)
The world's oldest baby has just been born (Getty Stock Photo)

Linda decided that while she didn't want to discard the embryos, or donate them to research, she also didn't want to donate them to a family anonymously, either.

“It’s my DNA; it came from me... and [it’s] my daughter’s sibling,” she added.

She then learned about embryo adoption Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which allowed Linda to choose the family she donated them to.

Meanwhile, Lindsey and Tim had been trying to have a baby for several years and had seen many doctors in their fertility journey.

Baby Thaddeus is the world's oldest baby (MIT Technology Review)
Baby Thaddeus is the world's oldest baby (MIT Technology Review)

The couple ended up signing up for the same fertility programme as Linda, called Snowflakes, and soon enough, they matched.

Baby Thaddeus was born months later.

Lindsey underwent the procedure at the Rejoice Fertility IVF clinic in Tennessee.

The clinic says its aim is to transfer any embryo it receives, no matter the age.

Lindsey explained that she and Tim had not set out to 'break any records', but 'wanted to have a baby'.

Lindsey and Tim had been trying to have a baby for years (MIT Technology Review)
Lindsey and Tim had been trying to have a baby for years (MIT Technology Review)

Meanwhile, Linda explained she has not met Thaddeus yet but could see a resemblance with her daughter.

Thaddeus has now become the 'world's oldest baby'.

“It’s been pretty surreal,” says Linda.

“It’s hard to even believe.”

Prior to Thaddeus' birth, back in 2022, Rachel and Philip Ridgeway had twins from embryos created back in 1992.

Featured Image Credit: LINDSEY PIERCE/MIT Technology review

Topics: Science, Parenting, News, World News