Advertisement

Tennessee woman gives birth from ‘world record’ embryo that’s almost as old as she is

Click to play video: 'Tennessee woman gives birth from ‘world record’ embryo that’s almost as old as she is'
Tennessee woman gives birth from ‘world record’ embryo that’s almost as old as she is
WATCH ABOVE: Tennessee woman gives birth from 'world record' embryo that's almost as old as she is – Dec 20, 2017

Benjamin and Tina Gibson believed they would never be able to have children so the Tennessee couple chose to foster.

After about a year, they discovered they may be able to conceive with the help of the U.S. National Embryo Donation Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

READ MORE: Scientists alter human embryo DNA: does this open the door for designer babies?

“It was so quick and honestly we didn’t know if it would even work,” Tina Gibson told NBC News. ”It was such just a whim.”

In March, she had an embryo implanted, and after a week and a half she discovered she was pregnant.

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“The longest 11 days of my life,” she explained.

But after the couple discovered the implant was successful, the Gibsons were shocked by another piece of news from the donation center.

Story continues below advertisement

Their baby had actually been cryopreserved in 1992, the same year Tina Gibson was born.

WATCH: Mother implanted with 18-year-old embryo gives birth to 2nd child

Click to play video: 'Mother implanted with 18-year-old embryo gives birth to 2nd child'
Mother implanted with 18-year-old embryo gives birth to 2nd child

“Just so you know, this is going to be world record and I was like what?” Tina Gibson said.  “Yeah they were like, ‘it’s been frozen for 24 years’ and I was like, ‘what’?”

Baby Emma Wren was born on November 25, 2017. She is the longest-frozen embryo to successfully come to birth.

She joked that she and her child could have been besties growing up.

“If this embryo had been born when it was supposed to we could have been best friends, we could have been friends, that’s been the going joke, it’s just so crazy,“ she told CBS News.

Advertisement

Sponsored content

AdChoices