Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, son of Tim and Lindsey Pierce, was born on 26/7. This extraordinary birth resulted from an embryo donated by 62-year-old Linda Archerd. The embryo was one of three remaining from an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle that Archerd and her then-husband underwent in the early 1990s. A previous embryo had been implanted in Archerd, resulting in the birth of a baby girl, Thaddeus's now 30-year-old biological sister.
After her divorce, Archerd had full authority over the remaining embryos and chose to participate in a donation program. Wanting her biological child to be raised in a white, Christian family, she selected the Pierces.
"We weren't trying to break a record," Lindsey said, "We just wanted a baby."
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Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, son of Lindsey and Tim Pierce, born on 26/7. Photo: Sky News |
Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, son of Lindsey and Tim Pierce, born on 26/7. Photo: Sky News
Upon receiving a photo of Thaddeus, Archerd was deeply moved. "He looks just like my daughter did when she was a baby," she said. "I pulled out my baby book, and there was no doubt they were siblings."
The embryo transfer was performed at a fertility clinic directed by Doctor John Gordon. He stated that the clinic operates under the principle that "every embryo deserves a chance at life."
IVF is increasingly common worldwide. In the US, it accounts for about 2% of all births. In the UK, the rate has risen from 1.3% in 2000 to 3.1% in 2023, meaning about one in 32 babies are born through IVF.
Thuc Linh (Guardian)
