A baby conceived when her mom was 18 months old was just born — after a 24-year wait

A baby girl born in East Tennessee on Nov. 25 was frozen as an embryo and waited for 24  1/2 years before being brought to term by her non-biological parents, according to a National Embryo Donation Center news release.

Emma Wren, born to Benjamin and Tina Gibson, was born 6 pounds, 8 ounces and 20 inches long and just became the longest-frozen embryo to successfully come to birth, the University of Tennessee Preston Medical Library confirmed.

Emma’s embryo was frozen in October 1992 — about 18 months after Tina Gibson was born, according to the center. The embryo was thawed in March 2017, transferred into 26-year-old Tina Gibson’s uterus and grew to be the baby girl born this fall.

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

The Gibsons told CNN about their experience and the joy their new baby has brought them.

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

“I just wanted a baby,” Tina Gibson said. “I don’t care if it’s a world record or not. ... We’re just so thankful and blessed. She’s a precious Christmas gift from the Lord.”

The center’s Lab Director Carol Sommerfelt was the one who thawed Emma’s embryo in March, and Medical Director Dr. Jeffrey Keenan performed the frozen embryo transfer two days later.

“I will always remember what the Gibsons said when presented with the picture of their embryos at the time of transfer: ‘These embryos could have been my best friends,’ ” Sommerfelt said, according to the release. “It is deeply moving and highly rewarding to see that embryos frozen 24  1/2 years ago using the old, early cryopreservation techniques of slow freezing on day one of development at the pronuclear stage can result in 100 percent survival of the embryos with a 100 percent continued proper development to the day-3 embryo stage.”

Keenan described the process that brings “test tube babies” like Emma into the world in a July 2017 interview.

“The NEDC has been privileged to work with the Gibsons to help them realize their dreams of becoming parents,” Keenan said. “We hope this story is a clarion call to all couples who have embryos in long-term storage to consider this life-affirming option for their embryos.”

The center in Knoxville, Tenn., is a clinic-based, comprehensive, non-profit embryo donation program. For more information, visit embryodonation.org.

This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 3:21 PM with the headline "A baby conceived when her mom was 18 months old was just born — after a 24-year wait."