Pill blamed for woman’s death

Press, 3 February 1984, Page 6

Pill blamed for woman’s death

NZPA-PA London A young mother vowed yesterday never to take the birth control pill again after hearing how her sister had died after taking seven of them. “I’ve lost all faith in the pill. I was on the pill but now I’ve stopped taking it,” said Jessica Bishop, aged 29, after hearing a Coroner blame the low-dose contraceptive pill for the death of Elizabeth Wilson.

Miss Wilson, who was 32, was prescribed the pill after the birth of her daughter in December. She took the pills

for seven days before a blood clot formed in her body. Three days after pains began she suffered a heart attack and died.

The inquest yesterday in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, heard that the clot had been caused by the “low-dose pill” called Ovysmen.

Her fiance, Brian Wallis, aged 45, said: “She took just seven of them but they had such a dramatic effect. I can’t understand it because she was on the pill for such a long time before our baby was born.

“We had planned to set up home together and had discussed birth control but had not come to any conclusion.

“In fact, I was unaware that Elizabeth was on the pill and that confused the medical when she was admitted to hospital.” Dr David Lawrence, who performed a post-mortem examination, said that he had discovered a blood clot had formed in her aorta. When it began to break up small pieces began to block her small intestines which caused gangrene to set in.

He said that the only reason he could give for the clot was Miss Wilson’s taking a contraceptive pill. The Coroner, Mr John Dines, said that clotting because of the taking of a contraceptive pill usually occurred in the legs and it was unusual to find one forming in a large artery in the chest.

“But it did and the only thing to bring that about was that she was taking the contraceptive pill.”

He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.