CHICAGO (AP) — A suburban Chicago woman alleges that a hospital tested her for drugs without her consent before she gave birth and the resulting false positive for opiates led to months of monitoring by state child welfare workers.
The National Advocates for Pregnant Women and the ACLU Illinois filed a discrimination charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights against the AMITA St. Alexius Medical Center.
The 46-year-old woman gave birth last year to a premature but healthy boy. She says hospital staff dismissed her explanation that the test result might stem from her having eaten a traditional Polish Easter poppy seed cake.
A hospital spokesman says it does not comment on pending litigation.
