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NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedSeptember 11, 2026Miami-Dade County

Greek couple welcomes daughter born from an embryo frozen for 22 years

Photo: WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

A 54-year-old Greek woman and her husband gave birth to a daughter in Athens this week using an embryo frozen for 22 years. The birth occurred shortly before the mother reached the Greek government's 54-year age limit for completing in vitro fertilization procedures.

FertilityIvfMedicineFamiliesGreece
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed

Why It Matters

The case highlights the medical possibility of successful pregnancies using long-stored embryos and brings attention to legal age limits for fertility treatments.

Key Facts

  • A 54-year-old woman and her 60-year-old husband in Athens welcomed a baby girl born this week from an embryo frozen for 22 years.
  • The newborn girl weighed 3.49 kilograms (7 pounds, 11 ounces).
  • The procedure was completed while navigating the Greek government's 54-year age limit for women to undergo in vitro fertilization procedures and secure national authority approval.
  • The mother stated she had a 2 1/2-month window to complete the process before hitting the age limit.
  • The couple named their daughter Georgia in honor of their late 21-year-old son, who died in a road crash in October.
  • Dr. Kostas Pantos, head of the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine, argued that Greece's strict age restrictions warrant review due to the country's steep birth rate decline.

Who's Mentioned

locationGreece“Country where the fertility regulations and birth occurred.”locationAthens“Capital of Greece where the birth took place.”PersonConstantinos Raptis“Father of the newborn child.”locationOhio“Location of a previous case involving a long-frozen embryo.”PersonCristina Rapti-Tzelepi“Mother who gave birth using an embryo frozen for 22 years.”locationAustralia“Country associated with Dr. Pantos's origin.”locationMelbourne“Native city of Dr. Kostas Pantos.”PersonDr. Kostas Pantos“Gynecologist and head of the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine.”OrganizationHellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine“Medical organization headed by Dr. Kostas Pantos.”OrganizationGuinness World Records“Organization that recognized a prior long-frozen embryo case.”