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MEET “THE SNOWBABY” EMMA

SHE WAS FROZEN AS AN EMBRYO FOR 24 YEARS

survive alone outside of the womb. But development shows that women with seem like futuristic medical advances,
after four weeks in the biobags, the severe medical complications, who they are irreplaceable opportunities for
lambs developed lungs and hair and, are born without a uterus, or who are many who have dreamed of starting
most importantly, were able to survive transgender could still potentially give families. Not every woman is born
on their own in the outside world. This birth. with a uterus, and a remarkably large
technique could one day save the lives In another fertility marvel, a woman percentage of people struggle with
of human children born dangerously successfully gave birth thanks to an fertility, sometimes for many years.
premature, and prevent the long-lasting ovary that was removed pre-puberty. These advances in the journey from
medical problems that can come from There is even the promise of 3D-printed conception to birth are building the
In November 2017, a baby was premature birth. ovaries, which successfully allowed foundations of a future in which starting
successfully born from an embryo Also this year, a woman in the U.S infertile mice to give birth. a family is something that everyone can
frozen for 24 years, the longest period successfully gave birth after receiving choose, giving a new option to people
a viable embryo has ever been stored. a uterus transplant. This promising While these developments might just who never before had it.
Baby Emma is just one example of the
amazing fertility solutions science has
developed in just a few short years.
A “snowbaby” is a term used to
describe an embryo that is frozen in
storage and preserved for potential WE’D LIKE TO BE
future birth. In November 2017, the PART OF YOUR
longest frozen embryo ever held in LABORATORY
storage was successfully born in
Tennessee. The embryo, created from
anonymous donors, was frozen on We are with you to deliver solutions to
October 14, 1992, just one year after your heating processes and analyses
mother Tina Gibson’s own birth.
Furnaces up to 1800 °C, Ovens up to 650 °C
The 24-year-old frozen embryo was Chamber Furnaces, Tube Furnaces, Split
initially a bit of a surprise, even to Furnaces, Rotary Furnaces, Ovens and
parents Tina and Benjamin Gibson. Tina more...
first remarked: “Do you realize I’m only
25? This embryo and I could have been
best friends.” But, now 26, Tina told
CNN, “I just wanted a baby. I don’t care
if it’s a world record or not.” She got her
wish: Emma Wren Gibson was born on
November 25, 2017
Before the birth of baby Emma, the
longest-known successful snowbaby
birth was from a 20-year-old frozen
embryo. While the Gibsons are mostly
excited about parenthood, from a
medical and scientific perspective, this
is a remarkable success. This shows
that embryos, like the one that became
Emma, can safely be donated and left
frozen in storage for potential parents
struggling with fertility, like Benjamin
Gibson, who has cystic fibrosis. It could
also mean that those with cancer
who anticipate losing fertility after
chemotherapy treatments could store a
healthy embryo until they are ready to
be a parent.
FUTURE OF FERTILITY

As shown in the case of the Gibsons,
fertility and birth look a lot different now
than they did even a few years ago.
An embryo created 24 years before
the baby is born is only the tip of the 1600 °C Tube Furnace 1600 °C Chamber Furnace 650 °C Oven
futuristic fertility iceberg.
This past year, premature lambs were
developed inside of artificial wombs.
Just 105 days into development, lambs
were placed into the uterus-like, fluid- Ergazi Mahallesi 1695. Cadde, 1819. Sokak No:5 Batıkent 06370 Ankara
filled “biobag” to continue growing. t:+90 312 257 13 31 f: +90 312 257 13 35
www.prothermfurnaces.com mail@prothermfurnaces.com
While at that stage in development,
equivalent to 22 weeks in humans,
neither human nor lamb is able to