Dozens of fertility patients who suffered “torturous pain” reached a major legal settlement with Yale Medicine on Monday.

It comes after a drug-addicted nurse stole their pain medication, leaving the women to endure invasive egg extractions with no anesthesia.

Soryorelis Henry, of Hamden, desperately wanted to be a mother, so she went to Yale’s Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Clinic for in vitro fertilization. But what was supposed to be a relatively painless procedure still gives her nightmares five years later.

“During the procedure, I felt everything,” she said. “I was visibly crying.”

Henry endured fertility treatment with no anesthesia. A Yale nurse swapped out her pain medication with saline, keeping the drugs for herself. Prosecutors alleged that Donna Monticone replaced 175 vials of fentanyl and other pain killers with saltwater over a four-month period.

Monticone pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product in 2021. She faced up to five years in prison, but was sentenced to four weekends after blaming an opioid addiction fueled by a painful divorce.

“My regret and shame run deep,” Monticone told the judge.

On Monday, Monticone’s 93 victims announced a legal settlement with Yale University. Lawyers would not reveal the final dollar figure, but said it’s a “substantial amount” that will “send a message.”

The lawsuit alleges that Yale “knew that a substantial quantity of midazolam, fentanyl, and ketamine vials … were missing and could not be accounted for,” but “concealed these facts from all the REI patients” – leaving them in "excruciating … torturous pain.”

Victims said Yale downplayed their complaints for months.

“I was completely awake and in so much pain, as I was crying and yelling,” said patient Shannon Garfield, one of the plaintiffs.

The womens’ attorneys said the Yale Clinic “cut corners” on drug tracking.

“It was very easy for, you know, a nurse or anybody to access it,” said attorney Kelly Fitzpatrick. “There weren’t really controls in place.”

The fertility scandal led to a five-part New York Times podcast series called “The Retrievals.”

Yale has since implemented key reforms. A university spokesperson said the settlement allows “both parties to move forward and begin healing.”

In a statement, Yale said:

Attorneys said the lawsuit was aimed at protecting future patients.

“They’ve improved their safeguarding of narcotics,” said attorney Josh Koskoff. “They’ve invested in the types of things that you would have expected them to invest in long ago.”

On top of Monday’s settlement, Yale also paid $308,000 in fines to the federal government.

Soryorelis Henry gave birth to a healthy little girl named Layla, who is now 4 years old.

“She brings our entire family a lot of joy, so she was definitely a blessing,” she said.