Harmonie Perrone, 28, knew she was likely experiencing an ectopic pregnancy and understood the urgency: seek immediate medical care to avoid life-threatening complications. However, she was denied that care twice, and the delay resulted in the loss of her fertility, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.
Legal Action Against Religious Hospital
Perrone is suing Advocate Good Shepherd in Illinois, a state where reproductive rights are legally protected and emergency care is mandated regardless of religious beliefs. 'What is so shocking about her situation is that it happened in a state where abortion is supposed to be among the most protected,' said Molly Duane, litigation director of Amplify Legal, which is involved in the lawsuit. 'Notwithstanding these protections against state actors, you still have religiously affiliated hospitals like Advocate Good Shepherd that are effectively administering shadow abortion bans everywhere in the country.'
Details of the Incident
When Perrone felt pain and saw blood, she immediately suspected another ectopic pregnancy. She had previously lost her right fallopian tube to an ectopic pregnancy but saved her left tube by promptly receiving methotrexate. This time, she knew her life was at risk. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends administering methotrexate as soon as possible for ectopic pregnancies.
At Advocate Good Shepherd, Perrone was not seen in person by an OB/GYN. Ultrasounds revealed a mass on her left fallopian tube. Despite her pleas, she was sent home with an appointment the next day at a med spa, where Dr. Dympna Coll refused to administer methotrexate. Perrone alleged Coll said, 'We have to weigh out the life of the mother and the baby, and there is a 1% chance that there is a baby in there.' When Perrone cited Illinois law, Coll responded, 'You are not going to bully me into doing this.'
Advocate Good Shepherd and Coll did not respond to press inquiries by publication time.
Consequences and Legal Claims
Perrone eventually received methotrexate at another hospital more than 24 hours after first seeking care. Six days later, she experienced intense pain and underwent surgery, during which her tube was already rupturing. 'That was the end of my fertility,' she said. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Illinois Hospital Emergency Service Act, which requires stabilizing care for ectopic pregnancies, and the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
Perrone went viral on TikTok discussing her experience. In response, Coll sued Perrone for defamation. 'Not only has she lost her ability to have children without IVF, but she is now being sued for speaking out,' Duane said.
Broader Implications
Illinois is considered a haven for reproductive rights, but patients' access to emergency care can depend on which hospital they visit, said Allison Siebeneck of the ACLU of Illinois. 'We do not want people to be deterred or to be afraid that they cannot access this care because of stories like this one.'
