Greek woman has IVF birth from 22-year-old embryo after losing son

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A Greek woman has given birth from an embryo frozen more than 22 years ago, months after her son, born from the same treatment in 2004, died in an accident, her doctor said Wednesday.

"For Christina Rapti-Tzelepi, today's birth carries special emotional significance," gynecologist Konstantinos Pantos said in a Facebook post.

"In 2004, after an embryo transfer, she had a healthy baby boy on the first attempt. In October 2025, the family experienced the tragic loss of their son in a road traffic accident at the age of 21," Pantos said.

Rapti-Tzelepi is 54, the maximum age allowed in Greece for in vitro fertilization.

She gave birth to a baby girl Wednesday following the December transfer of an embryo from the same initial batch, Pantos said.

"There was mourning and joy involved, but everything disappeared this morning when we held our beauty in our arms," Rapti-Tzelepi told state TV ERT.

Rapti-Tzelepi's husband, Konstantinos Raptis, said the family was in a "race against time" to see the pregnancy through.

"My wife reached, quite literally, the very limits of the age restrictions imposed by the existing legislation," Raptis said in a statement.

He called for the national IVF age limit to be lifted.

"Older women have an immeasurable capacity to offer mature, conscious and unconditional love, as well as a stability that no statistic can ever fully measure," Raptis said.

The couple has an additional nine embryos in storage and would like to have another child but is currently unable to under the law, Pantos said.

Greece's birth rate has been declining for years. State statistics in 2025 showed births had fallen by more than 2,800 compared with a year earlier.

However, the data show an increase in births to mothers older than 40 over the past 20 years.

"Women must not be afraid ... the science is safe ... I advise couples that have been fighting for years not to give up," Rapti-Tzelepi said.

"In a country with a serious birth rate problem, we must not deprive people of their dreams and desires."

Key medical concepts

Fertilization in VitroEmbryo Transfer

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Obstetrics & gynecologyReproductive healthWomen's health Who's behind this story?

Andrew Zinin

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