Record-breaking baby Emma born 25 years after she was frozen as an embryo

● US couple call her ‘sweet miracle’ after donation

A baby has been born 25 years after her embryo was first frozen, in what is thought to be a new world record.

Emma Gibson was put into cryogenic stasis as an embryo in 1992 after being anonymously donated to a US clinic by a couple wanting to help others conceive.

It is thought to be longest a frozen embryo has been preserved before a child has been born.

Emma’s mother, Tina, pointed out that the embryo from which Emma was born was almost as old as her.

She said: “Do you realise that I’m 26 years old? If the baby was born when it was supposed to born, we could have been best friends.”

Emma’s father Benjamin, 33, said: “Emma is such a sweet miracle. I think she looks pretty perfect to have been frozen all those years ago.”

Weighing six pounds eight ounces and measuring 20 inches long, Emma was born on 25 November.

The embryo was created by a couple in 1992 and left in cryogenic storage to be donated to someone who had problems conceiving. Mr Gibson has cystic fibrosis, which can make men infertile.

The Gibsons had decided to foster several children, but thought again about pregnancy when Benjamin sug-

0 The embryo that became Emma Gibson was donated anonymously to a fertility clinic in 1992 gested they look into embryo adoption.

The couple filled out an application with the US National Embryo Donation Centre in Knoxville, Tennessee, and were approved.

The embryo that became Emma was frozen on 14 October, 1992, thawed out on 13 March this year and implanted into Mrs Gibson.

It was only when the Gibsons were preparing for the transfer that a doctor told them that they were about to set a world record.

Recalling the birth, Mrs Gibson broke down in tears.

She said: “We wanted to adopt, and I don’t know that that isn’t going to be in our future. We may still adopt.

“This just ended up being the route that we took. I think that we would have been equally elated if were able to adopt.”

She added: “People say, ‘Oh it’s science’ but no I think it’s a gift from the Lord. It’s a gift from the Lord, for sure.”

Despite not sharing her genes, Mr Gibson said that Emma feels completely like his own child.

He said: “As soon as she came out, I fell in love with her.”

The National Embryo Donation Centre said that according to their records the Gibsons hold the record for the longest-frozen embryo to result in a live birth.

Dr David Adamson, chief executive of Arc Fertility clinic in San Jose, California, said: “I think it is probably fair to say if it is not the oldest, it would be among the oldest. I’m not personally aware of a medical report where an older embryo has resulted in a live birth.”