16-Year-Old UK Girl Dies From Blood Clot Days After Taking Contraceptive Pill For Period Pain

In a heartbreaking turn of events, a 16-year-old girl from the UK, Layla Khan, passed away due to a blood clot just three weeks after initiating the use of a contraceptive pill.

The tragic incident unfolded with Layla experiencing severe period pain, leading her friends to suggest the use of contraceptive pills to ease her pain.

Who was Layla Khan?

Layla, a college student, was considered a potential Oxford student by her professors.

What happened to Layla Khan?

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Layla began taking contraceptive tablets on November 25 to manage her intense period pain. By December 5, Layla started experiencing headaches, and within a week, she began vomiting.

What led to the misdiagnosis and the fatal consequences?

Concerned about Layla's worsening condition, her family sought medical assistance. A GP appointment on Monday yielded a misdiagnosis of a stomach bug, and anti-sickness tablets were prescribed. Despite the prescribed medication, Layla's condition deteriorated, and she started screaming in pain.

Fearing the severity of the situation, Layla's family decided to rush her to the hospital when she collapsed in the bathroom and experienced difficulty with her legs. A CT scan at the hospital revealed a blood clot in Layla's brain, leading to immediate surgery on December 13.

Despite the surgery, Layla was declared brain-dead the following day.

Layla's family expressed profound devastation, questioning the discrepancy between medical advice and the sudden deterioration.

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In a selfless act, Layla's family chose to donate her organs for transplant operations, ultimately saving five lives.

Her aunt, Jenna Braithwaite, told Yorkshire Live: "She was basically vomiting every 30 minutes, so they got a GP appointment on Monday morning, and they took her to the GP. Even though she was sick the whole time she was at the GP's, they gave her anti-sickness tablets and told her that they thought it was a stomach bug. They said there were no red flags to go to the hospital and to go to the hospital on Wednesday if it continued."

The tragedy, occurring so close to Christmas, has deeply impacted the family, sucking away the holiday spirit.

Layla's organs, donated by the family, have brought hope and life to others, as they saved five lives just days before Christmas. The family, grappling with incomprehensible grief, hopes that Layla's story will raise awareness about the potential risks associated with contraceptive pill usage and the importance of a thorough medical evaluation.

According to Alicia Binns, Layla's cousin, she has experienced prolonged and agonizing menstrual periods. She was the oldest of five siblings.

All about the 'Pill' used by women during periods to ease pain:

The combined oral contraceptive pill, commonly known as 'the pill,' incorporates synthetic female hormones, estrogen and progestogen.

While its primary purpose is to prevent pregnancy, it is also employed for managing conditions like painful periods and endometriosis. However, the pill has been associated with an elevated risk of thrombosis or blood clots.

Scottish GP Margaret McCartney highlighted in a 2020 Lancet medical journal article that the estimated incidence of blood clots with the combined oral contraceptive pill is approximately five per 10,000 women per year, translating to a risk of one in 2,000 or 0.05 percent.

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Citing information from the National Blood Clot Alliance in the US, Sky News reports that the estimated risk increases to one in 1,000 women per year developing a clot while taking birth control pills, accounting for a 0.1 percent risk.

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