Woman gives birth to baby from embryo frozen 24 years ago

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee -- A Tennessee woman has given birth to a baby who was conceived 24 years ago.

Tina and Benjamin Gibson decided to try a frozen embryo transfer after struggling with infertility for years.

"I never thought I would be able to have a pregnancy, and to have a baby, such a miracle, such a sweet sweet miracle," Tina said.

At one time the couple had considered traditional adoption, but decided to try frozen embryo transfer.

With the hopes of becoming parents, they went through the process at the National Embryo Donation Center in Knoxville, not knowing the embryo they had chosen was frozen for more than two decades.

They used a donated embryo frozen in 1992. That means little Emma Wren was conceived in 1992, but not born until 2017.

It also means Tina, who is just 26 years old, was carrying an embryo conceived just one and a half years after her own birth.

"Just a pure blessing from the Lord, you know, straight from God," Tina said. "I think it's just proof. It's such a God thing, such a miracle I think she was chosen for us. I don't think we chose her, I think she was chosen for us."

Benjamin added, "Yes, it's nothing we did at all."

Emma is now the longest-known frozen human embryo to result in a successful birth.

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