The mother of a young woman who died suddenly after suffering a blood clot caused by the contraceptive pill is calling for packaging to contain clearer warnings.
An inquest heard Áine Rose Hurst, 19, from Bolton, died due to complications caused by the hormonal contraceptive pill Femodette.
In the months before she died, she took a break from the pill after her annual check up revealed high blood pressure, but was put back on the contraceptive soon after.
Her mother, Kerry Hurst, says too many young women are not aware of the pill’s life-threatening side effects, and is now calling for the pills’ packaging to carry clearer warnings.
She said: ‘We’re never going to get Áine back, but if we can make a difference to someone else’s life, and stop that happening again, then I hope that’s what we can do.’
The family have since started the Áine Rose Contraceptive Safety Foundation with the hopes of increasing awareness of the pill’s potential side effects.
Rather than the oral contraceptive only coming with a lengthy safety information leaflet that ‘everybody discards’, the foundation would like to see the pill packets themselves display warnings about the more serious possible side effects.
Ms Hurst said: ‘Áine’s contraceptive pills came with a 102-page document with side effects on it.
Áine died after a rare side effect of the contraceptive pill caused a blood clot in her brain. Now her family want to see pill packaging carrying clearer warnings
Áine collapsed and was rushed to Royal Bolton Hospital (pictured) on Tuesday, March 11
‘But young girls don’t tend to read them – that’s got to change.’
Femodette is an oral contraceptive, taken daily for 21 days followed by a seven-day break.
It contains both oestrogen and progestogen and as such is classed a combined hormonal contraception.
According to the NHS, the risk of getting a blood clot using this type of pill is small, affecting one in 1,000.
But women taking the pill are still considered at an increased risk of blood clotting – because it can cause high blood pressure – meaning some hormonal contraception is not suitable for everyone.
On 8 March 2025, the morning after a night out with friends, Áine woke up with a headache, which she put down to a hangover.
But two days later, her headache still hadn’t shifted even after taking painkillers.
Áine was subsequently rushed to Royal Bolton Hospital after she become unresponsive and began foaming at the mouth.
According to the NHS the risk of getting a blood clot is very small and affects up to 1 in 1,000 people using combined hormonal contraception like the pill
Here doctors discovered a blood clot in her brain, which they deemed inoperable due to its size and location.
‘They told us if she was to survive, she probably wouldn’t be the same person,’ her mother recalls.
‘And once they tested her brain, to see if there was any function, if there wasn’t any response, they would turn the machines off at that point.’
She died just minutes later.
The inquest, held on 27 November, concluded her death had been caused by an extensive cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a ‘recognised by rare side effect’ of taking Femodette.
Common symptoms of this type of blood clot include persistent headache with vomiting, impaired vision, fainting or loss of consciousness, problems speaking and stroke-like symptoms.
Her mother said whilst she does not want to scare people from taking the pill, the foundation is determined to raise better awareness of the possible risks associated with taking the contraceptive pill.
Speaking to the BBC, Áine’s aunt, Dawn Rawlinson added: ‘My number one aim is to make sure this doesn’t happen again, and families don’t have to experience what we have.’
Known side-effects of the Pill – proven to be over 99 per cent effective at stopping pregnancy – include nausea, breast tenderness, mood swings and headache.
Rare side effects of the combined pill, which Áine was taking, and the mini pill however, can include a slightly heightened risk of breast and cervical cancer.
This is because they contain hormones which scientists believe can stimulate some cancer cells to grow.
As such, experts have raised concern about how accessible the Pill now is, now women can obtain a first prescription from their pharmacy, potentially increasing the risk of rare side effects.
