Greek couple welcomes baby girl born from 22-year-old frozen embryo
A 54-year-old Greek mother gave birth to a daughter using an embryo that had been frozen for more than two decades, after the couple lost their son in a traffic accident.
A 54-year-old woman in Athens gave birth on Wednesday to a baby girl weighing 3.49 kilograms, the child being conceived from an embryo that had been stored for over 22 years. The mother, Cristina Rapti-Tzelepi, and her 60-year-old husband, Constantinos Raptis, decided to pursue another pregnancy months after their 21-year-old son died in a road crash.
Greek law limits IVF approval to women who are 54 years old or younger, giving Rapti-Tzelepi a narrow two-and-a-half-month window to complete treatment. She said the process was stressful but was supported by her doctor and medical team.
The newborn, named Georgia in memory of the late son, was delivered in a hospital in Athens. Dr. Kostas Pantos, head of the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine, said the country’s age restrictions should be reconsidered in light of declining birth rates, adding that parents should not be denied the right to have children.
The couple expressed gratitude to their physician for helping them move forward after their loss and indicated they may consider having another child, possibly abroad.