What seemed to be an otherwise ordinary morning following a night out, turned out to be parental nightmare with Áine Rose Hurst, a bright 19 year old, Bolton, Greater Manchester, waking up with what she thought were normal consequences of a hangover.
Sadly enough, the condition that was referred to as a common headache was in fact a symptom of a medical emergency that was causing a life threat. Two days later, Aine died and her family was devastated and medical profession was on the spotlight. Her story is an important wake-up call about the combined oral contraceptive pill and the risk it might pose to young women that is very difficult to detect but severe.
The Tragic Timeline: The Hangover to Hospital.
At the beginning of March 2025, Aine Rose Hurst was out with friends on a happy night. She usually did what most teenagers would, on waking up with a severe headache she reached out to paracetamol and slept the pain away. The pain, however, was increased. Kerry, the mother of Aine, called 111, when Aine stopped responding.
At some point in the call, expected during the deep sleep stage, Aine started to produce a snoring sound that is medically called stertorous breathing and is most of the time a symptom of neurological distress as opposed to the deep sleep. She was taken to the hospital, where she was scanned to find out that she had a catastrophic blood clot (thrombosis) in her brain.
What is Cerebral Venous Sinu Thrombosis (CVST)?
The official verdict at Bolton Coroner was that Cerebral Venous Sinu Thrombosis (CVST) had caused death.
- CVST is an uncommon form of stroke which is brought about by a clot in the venous sinuses of the brain. This clogging causes loss of blood to drain out of the brain causing cerebral edema (brain swelling) and cerebral infarction (tissue death).
- The oral contraceptive pill was on the list of possible contributing factors to the death certificate of Aine.
A Red Flag Disregarded: High Blood Pressure and Contraceptive Risks.
The saddest part of the case of Áine is her medical history. During a check-up in December 2024, it was confirmed that Aine had dangerously high hypertension (high blood pressure). She was at once put off her pill, Femodette. Femodette is an integrated birth control pill that has the hormone Gestodene and Ethinylestradiol. The UKMEC (UK Medical Eligibility Criteria), women who have a history of high blood pressure are frequently defined as either Category 3 or 4, i.e., its risks tend to exceed the benefits of that particular medication.
Just to be on the bad side, the pill was re-prescribed by a GP after her blood pressure seemed to normalize in January 2025. Her family is now pressurizing on more stringent NHS instructions so that when high blood pressure has been realized; more stringent tests are to be done before the hormonal contraceptive is re-introduced.
ARCS: The Aine Rose Contraceptive Safety Foundation.
Following their defeat, Graham and Kerry Hurst, have created ARCS -The Aine Rose Contraceptive Safety Foundation. They know exactly their mission, to raise awareness of contraceptive safety and not to make other families go through the same sorrow.
Kerry says that there is nothing that Ariane would have done to jeopardize her life. She would never have taken the pill again, she would have never gone back on the pill, had she been the least idea that she was in danger.
Top Red Flags All Women need to know.
In case you are using a combined oral contraceptive pill, specialists recommend calling 999 or visiting A&E in case of an emergency (you are experiencing):
• Then, there is a sharp, life-threatening headache that you have never had before.
• Changes in vision or speech. Weakness of limbs or drooping faces.
• Epilepsy or impulsive disorientation.
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Conclusions and Future Plans.
Causal association between the pill and CVST is infrequent, and occurs in approximately 1 in 100000 to 200000 women annually. Nevertheless, that was a fact to Áine Rose Hurst.
Through sharing her story, the ARCS foundation aims at making a tragedy out to be a life-saving legacy of education and medical reform. Can I give you the checklist of questions that you will be asking your GP next time you have a contraceptive review in order to be sure that your safety is guaranteed?
Disclaimer:
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