A baby has been born from an embryo frozen 20 years ago, medics at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine at the Eastern Virginia medical school have revealed.
It is the longest time a fertilised egg has been stored before developing into a healthy baby.
The baby boy, who was born to a 42-year-old woman, was delivered in May, after being created along with four other embryos by another couple in 1990.
The couple used one of the embryos themselves, and donated the other four, which were then frozen. They were then offered to the 42-year-old woman who was undergoing fertility treatment at the East Virginia medical school last year. Two embryos survived being thawed and were implanted into the patient, with one going on to to develop into a full term pregnancy.
Sergio Oehninger, director of the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine at the Eastern Virginia medical school, said: 'She has been going through treatment for a long time.'
What do you think of this story?
What are your thoughts on freezing embryos?