A local couple adopted another couple's embryo that had been frozen 12 years.
The Tackett family has now been celebrating their child's first birthday.
"She has always been super easy going, she's always been happy, she laughed really on," Jenni Tackett said.
One-year-old Quinn Tackett was formerly a frozen embryo. Her biological parents donated their embryos anonymously to the National Embryo Donation Center in Knoxville after they were done having kids.
"We have a child that my wife carried that is biologically not ours," Jeremy Tackett said.
The embryos were stored at the National Embryo Donation Center in Knoxville. The Tacketts said they reviewed profiles before they chose which embryos they were going to "adopt."
"We found a couple, we don't know who they are, it's completely anonymous they don't know us. Once we decided on that couple, the NEDC just got permission for us to use their embryos," Jenni said.
The biological parents became pregnant through in vitro fertilization or IVF. Once they were successful, they had to decide what to do with the rest of their embryos.
"They can either keep them, destroy them, donate them for research, or donate them to couples that can't have kids of their own," Jenni said.
Jenni said it took her less than a year to become pregnant.
"For us it took 3 times of getting implanted," Jenni said.
She said the third time's the charm. She conceived with Quinn.
"We've just been really lucky," Jenni said.
The Tackett's do not know any other couples who have adopted an embryo. The NEDC said embryo adoption has been a growing trend.
"Sometimes people think that this is their only option. Whatever path they've chosen, and they do have different options," Jeremy said.
The Tacketts have been hoping this story will raise awareness and connect them to other couples who went through the same process.
