Áine Rose Hurst, 19, died after suffering a fatal headache linked to the contraceptive pill. She had taken paracetamol for what she believed was a typical teenage hangover, but within 48 hours she died in her mother's arms.
When Áine woke up with a severe headache after a night out, her mother Kerry gave her paracetamol and an eye mask. As the pain worsened, Kerry called 111, and during the call Áine became unresponsive. She was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, a rare blood clot on the brain.
Medics told the family she was unlikely to survive, and life support was withdrawn two days later on March 13, 2025. The oral contraceptive pill Femodette, which Áine had been prescribed for heavy periods, was listed as a potential contributing factor on her death certificate.
Kerry had taken Áine to the GP before her 16th birthday, and she was prescribed Femodette. In December 2024, during a routine check, her blood pressure was found to be dangerously high, and she was taken off the pill. However, in January 2025, after her blood pressure returned to acceptable levels, she was prescribed the pill again despite her mother's concerns.
Since Áine's death, Kerry and her husband Graham have set up ARCS (The Áine Rose Contraceptive Safety Foundation) to raise awareness of the risks. Kerry said: 'Nothing will bring Áine back. But we would like to raise awareness amongst other young women of the potential side effects and dangers of the contraceptive pill.'
