Overview

• Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born on July 26 in Ohio from an embryo frozen since 1994, surpassing the previous 10,905-day record with 11,148 days in cryopreservation.
• The embryo was donated by Linda Archerd through the Snowflakes agency after she retained custody post-divorce; of three embryos thawed, one successfully implanted.
• Archerd has received photos of Thaddeus and the donor and recipient families plan to meet in person in the coming months.
• An estimated 1.5 million embryos remain frozen in U.S. clinics under varying state regulations following a 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling that classified embryos as legal children.
• Fertility clinics and lawmakers are reviewing policy clarifications and exploring uniform national standards for embryo storage and liability.