Overview

• Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, born July 26, 2025, holds the world record for the longest-frozen embryo birth at 31 years, surpassing previous marks set by 1992-frozen embryos.
• Lindsey Pierce reported that both she and Thaddeus recovered well after a challenging delivery posed by the embryo’s three-decade freeze.
• The embryo adoption was facilitated by Snowflakes, a program of Nightlight Christian Adoptions, aligning donor Linda Archerd’s request for open matching with recipients Lindsey and Tim Pierce.
• The procedure was performed at Rejoice Fertility clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Dr. John Gordon customized thawing protocols for slow-freeze embryos.
• The birth has reignited ethical and legal debates over long-term embryo storage and prompted calls for clearer cryopreservation regulations.