This woman gave birth using an embryo that had been frozen for 24 years

Modern medicine has made incredible advancements — especially when it comes to childbearing. Modern women can get in vitro fertilization, use a surrogate, and even freeze their eggs or embryos. And in November, one Tennessee woman gave birth to a daughter who had been frozen as an embryo for 24 years.

Tina Gibson gave birth to her daughter, Emma, on November 25th. But Emma was frozen in 1992 — just one year after Gibson was born — after being conceived by a different couple. Emma is now the longest-frozen embryo to be born.

Gibson received a Frozen Embryo Transfer in March, which is when Emma was transferred to her body. The transfer was performed by the National Embryo Donation Center, which freezes embryos left over from in vitro fertilization and donates them to women who have trouble conceiving.According to the NEDC, about 49 percent of embryonic transfers result in live births.

Gibson told CNN that her husband has cystic fibrosis — a condition that commonly causes infertility. The couple had planned on adopting a child when her father told her about embryo adoption.

“I just wanted a baby,” she told CNN. “I didn’t care if it was a world record.”

East Tennessee woman gives birth to daughter who spent 24 years as frozen embryo https://t.co/jNVcOwzwqd pic.twitter.com/SbXMkDKlX8

— WBIR Channel 10 (@wbir) December 19, 2017

26-year-old woman gives birth to daughter who spent 24 years as frozen embryo https://t.co/iMJgrdp3dF pic.twitter.com/GZ91T1BbCk

— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) December 19, 2017

Baby Emma’s birth is remarkable and has promising implications for other women who want children but struggle to conceive. For many women, trying to get pregnant requires patience, and it doesn’t always work, so it’s exciting to see the many ways in which infertility can be combatted. Congratulations to Gibson and her baby Emma!