A Greek couple has welcomed a baby girl born from an embryo that had been frozen for 22 years. Cristina Rapti-Tzelepi, 54, gave birth to the child on Wednesday in Athens, just months after the couple's 21-year-old son died in a road accident.
The decision to use the long-frozen embryo came as Rapti-Tzelepi was nearing Greece's national age limit of 54 years for women to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures and secure approval. She described the process as stressful, noting a tight 2½-month window to complete the necessary steps.
Her gynecologist, Dr. Kostas Pantos, who also heads the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine, highlighted the challenges and suggested that Greece's age restrictions for IVF may warrant reconsideration, particularly in light of the country's declining birth rate.
"The law is very strict: 54 plus one day is not allowed. Maybe it’s time for it to change," Pantos stated. "I think it’s a right (parents) should not be deprived of."
The newborn weighed 3.49 kilograms (7 pounds, 11 ounces). The couple named their daughter Georgia, in honor of their late son, Giorgos, who was also conceived through IVF. The parents expressed gratitude to their doctor for providing renewed hope. The father, Constantinos Raptis, 60, said the doctor "took us by the hand and pulled us out of our deepest darkness."
This case follows a trend of long-preserved embryos leading to births. In a similar instance last year, an Ohio couple welcomed a son conceived from an embryo frozen for over 30 years, earning recognition from Guinness World Records. The Greek couple has not ruled out future attempts to have more children, potentially by traveling abroad.