The family of a 19-year-old woman are urging others to learn from their tragedy after their daughter died from a severe headache she initially dismissed as a hangover.
A fatal misunderstanding
In early March 2025, Áine Rose Hurst woke with a splitting headache following a night out with friends. Assuming it was a typical teenage hangover, she took paracetamol and tried to sleep it off. Her mother, Kerry Hurst, 52, provided an eye mask and advised rest, unaware the pain signalled a life-threatening condition.
The pain rapidly intensified, prompting a call to NHS 111. During that call, Áine suddenly became unresponsive. She was rushed to hospital by ambulance, where doctors discovered she had suffered a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) – a rare blood clot on the brain. The medical team informed her family she was unlikely to survive.
Life support was withdrawn two days later, on 13 March 2025. Áine died in her mother's arms.
The contraceptive pill link
An inquest later confirmed the cause of death and listed the combined oral contraceptive pill as a potential contributing factor. Áine had been prescribed Femodette at age 16 to manage heavy periods and had taken it for three years without apparent issue.
However, in December 2024, during a routine check on the day she passed her driving test, her blood pressure was found to be dangerously high. She was taken off the pill immediately. After home monitoring showed her blood pressure had fallen to within acceptable guidelines by January 2025, a GP prescribed the pill again.
"I was a bit worried about that; I thought it was odd," Kerry said. "But I trusted the GP; I didn’t for a moment think Áine was at risk in any way at all."
A legacy of awareness
Since losing their only daughter, Kerry and her husband Graham have established ARCS (The Áine Rose Contraceptive Safety Foundation). Their mission is to raise awareness among young women and healthcare providers about the potential risks associated with hormonal contraception.
"Áine would never have done anything to put her life at risk," Kerry stated. "If she’d had any idea she was in danger, she’d never have gone back on the pill. Our hearts are broken... But in her memory, we hope other lives will be saved."
The family hopes Áine's story will prevent others from dismissing severe, unusual headaches. The NHS states that blood clots linked to combined hormonal contraception are rare but emphasises the importance of monitoring blood pressure and other risk factors.
