Medical and IVF knowledge

What does a physician's medical summary of a surrogate candidate contain?

The short answer

A physician medical summary is a written review of a surrogate candidate's complete prenatal and delivery records, prepared by a physician before the candidate is presented to intended parents and sent to the parents' fertility clinic. At PLS, Mark Silverberg, DDS, MD, reads every candidate's records personally and his summary covers seven areas: 1) each prior pregnancy with dates, gestational age at delivery and mode of delivery; 2) complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, hemorrhage and placental problems; 3) operative reports for any cesarean; 4) postpartum course; 5) current medications and chronic conditions; 6) BMI, blood pressure and lab trends; 7) a plain-language opinion on whether the history supports a safe surrogate pregnancy, with questions for the clinic. The agency agreement defines this as review by a board-certified physician.

Written by Mark Silverberg, MD

Executive Director. Physician with 30+ years of practice; reads every surrogate candidate's records.

Medically reviewed by Mark Silverberg, MD

Last updated October 14, 2026

Why does PLS have a physician read the records instead of a coordinator?

This section is being written.

Which records are collected, and from whom?

This section is being written.

What are the seven sections of the summary?

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What findings lead PLS to decline a candidate?

This section is being written.

What findings are flagged for the fertility clinic to decide?

This section is being written.

How does the summary shorten clinic medical screening?

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What do intended parents see, and when?

This section is being written.

Table in preparation

Summary sections: what is reviewed, source document, typical red flags, outcome (proceed, flag for clinic, decline)

Editor notes (D-055): Confirm with Dr. Silverberg the actual sections of his summary and the decline criteria. Confirm with Nancy that the surrogate receives a copy.

Frequently asked questions

Do all agencies have a physician review records?

No. Many rely on coordinators or wait for the clinic's screening. PLS reviews before matching so parents do not match with a candidate the clinic will later reject.

What is a common reason for declining a candidate?

A history of preeclampsia, preterm delivery before 37 weeks, postpartum hemorrhage requiring transfusion, or more cesareans than the clinic accepts.

Does the summary replace the clinic's medical screening?

No. The clinic still performs its own exam, ultrasound and labs. The summary gives the clinic a complete history in advance.

Is the summary shared with the surrogate?

Yes. She receives a copy and can correct any error before it goes to the clinic.