First Cryopreservation Birth in Mid-Atlantic U.S. announced in Philadelphia (Albert Einstein Medical Center News)

Philadelphia, PA. - Albert Einstein Medical Center has announced the birth of the first frozen-embryo baby in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Maris Petra Riley was born at Einstein on April 19, 1988 at 3:46 p.m., weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces. The baby is in excellent health.

The child was conceived using in-vitro fertilization. The embryo was then cryopreserved, a technique that allows an embryo to be frozen in liquid nitrogen and then thawed at a later date and implanted in the womb.

Cryopreservation is used if newly fertilized or "fresh" embryos, conceived by conventional in-vitro fertilization methods, have not produced a pregnancy. If there is no pregnancy, the frozen embryo is thawed and transferred to the womb for a second or third attempt at pregnancy.

"We have a new chapter in the treatment of infertility," says Martin Freedman, M.D., director of Einstein's In-vitro Fertilization Program. "Cryopreservation spares the patient additional egg retrieval. The patient is then able to make several attempts at achieving a pregnancy."

The child's parents, Kevin Riley, 34, and Teresa Riley, 35, of Havertown, Pennsylvania, had been undergoing fertility treatment since 1984. Finally, in February 1987, they decided to try in-vitro fertilization. On March 15, 1987, 13 eggs were retrieved, from which 11 embryos developed. Seven embryos were frozen using Cryopreservation. After a brief pregnancy and miscarriage from the initial IVF transfer, four months later, two frozen embryos were thawed and implanted. A positive fetal heartbeat was detected on August 18, 1987.

"Cryopreservation gave us another chance to bring a life into the world," says Teresa Riley. "We didn't think it would work, but now we can't imagine life without her."

Embryo freezing is still very new. According to the latest reports, there have been only nine live births due to Cryopreservation in the United States since the procedure was first pioneered in Australia in 1984, "With each additional normal, healthy child that results from Cryopreservation, more couples will become comfortable with the idea of this kind of aid in achieving a pregnancy," Freedman says.

Einstein borrowed the expertise of William Rall, Ph.D., and Stanley Leibo, Ph.D., to structure its Cryopreservation program. Their research in San Antonio, Texas provided Freedman and his staff with the technical background needed to put Cryopreservation into practice.

Marisa Petra Riley was delivered full-term by Arnold Cohen, M.D., a perinatologist at Einstein, "Dr. Freedman was the most nervous father I've ever had," Cohen joked.

To infertile couples still trying to have a child, Rileys had this advice to offer: "Don't ever give up, for these truly are the days of miracles and wonder."

A Biological Timeline for Einstein's First Cryopreservation Pregnancy

March 15, 1987 13 eggs are retrieved from the patient through laparoscopy.

March 17, 1987 11 embryos develop; four are transferred back into the patient, seven are "frozen" through the Cryopreservation technique.

April 31, 1987 Pregnancy test proves positive, but miscarriage occurs two weeks later.

June 10, 1987 Two "frozen" embryos are thawed and transferred to the uterus.

June 23, 1987 Pregnancy test: negative

July 18, 1987 Two more "frozen" embryos are thawed and transferred.

July 27, 1987 Pregnancy test proves positive.

August 18, 1987 Positive fetal heartbeat

April 19, 1988 First successful Cryopreservation birth.