Greek Woman Gives Birth Using 22-Year-Old Frozen Embryo
A Greek couple recently marked a new beginning, welcoming a baby born using a decades-old embryo. This came as they faced a government deadline. After their 21-year-old son died in a road accident in October, Cristina Rapti-Tzelepi, aged 54, and her husband, decided to try again using an embryo frozen for 22 years.
Rapti-Tzelepi was nearing Greece’s legal age limit of 54 for women undergoing in vitro fertilization. She needed approval from a national authority. “I only had a 2½-month window,” she stated to The Associated Press. “It was stressful, but with inner strength and support from our medical team, we overcame every hurdle.”
On Wednesday in Athens, Rapti-Tzelepi gave birth to a girl weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces. In a hospital room adorned with pink balloons and flowers, the parents expressed their emotions.
“We chose to give life another chance, to make a fresh start, and continue our family’s legacy,” Rapti-Tzelepi shared. “I wish for her to grow with health and joy, like our first child who filled our home with laughter.”
The embryo was frozen for more than 22 years, a significant duration for such a procedure. Last year, an Ohio couple used an embryo frozen for over 30 years, recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest to result in a successful pregnancy.
Dr. Kostas Pantos, Rapti-Tzelepi’s gynecologist, highlighted the need to review Greece’s age restrictions due to declining birth rates. “The law is rigid: 54 plus a day is forbidden. It might be time for change,” Pantos remarked.
“He led us from our deepest darkness,” Rapti-Tzelepi’s husband, Constantinos Raptis, expressed. “We’ve escaped that darkness, and I believe we have much to live for now.”
The couple named their daughter Georgia, honoring their late son, Giorgos, also born through IVF. They are considering trying for another child, potentially by traveling abroad.
Embryo donation is becoming more popular in the U.S. Frozen donated embryo transfers in the U.S. rose nearly fourfold from 2004 to 2019, according to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Over 1 million frozen embryos exist in the U.S., as many choose not to discard them after completing IVF cycles.