What Is DVT? 18-Year-Old Dies Of Deep Vein Thrombosis After Taking Pill To Delay Periods

For many young women, taking pills to delay or stop their periods feels like a harmless convenience, often done before weddings, exams, religious ceremonies, or travel plans. But what many don’t realise is that these hormonal pills come with hidden dangers. In rare but devastating cases, they can trigger life-threatening complications like deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can silently spread and prove fatal.

One such heartbreaking case was shared recently by Dr Vivekanand, a vascular surgeon, on the Rebooting The Brain podcast. It was the story of an 18-year-old college student who lost her life after using pills to postpone her menstrual cycle.

What exactly happened?

Dr Vivekanand recalled the incident in detail during his conversation with neurosurgeon Dr Sharan Srinivasan.

"I have a sad story to tell about a young 18-year-old girl. She came to the clinic, not to hospital, with her friends; her parents were not here (for) leg pain, leg swelling, not just the leg, including the thigh. She was in discomfort; she was in pain. When did this start? She says, 'I had to take some hormonal pills to stop my periods because there was a puja.' And this is one of the conditions which causes deep pain thrombosis, is one of the risk factors, happens once in a while and we got a scan done; the clot was almost till the near level of umbilicus that is the common iliac vein. And (she took the pill) just for 3 days."

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The girl's condition was critical, and Dr Vivekanand strongly recommended immediate hospital admission. He insisted on speaking to her family and urged her father to get her admitted at once.

"So I ended up speaking to the father himself, who I told him, 'You know it's very important for us to admit her and treat her'. So he said, 'Doctor, her mother is saying, no, I'll be coming tomorrow morning and then we will meet you."'

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Sadly, the delay proved fatal. Dr Vivekanand added, "Unfortunately, in the middle of the night, I get a call at around 2 am saying that, you know, a young girl has been rushed into the casualty emergency section and she is not breathing. I felt so miserable. I thought, you know, (I should have caught them on the collar and put them). I should have done that.”

The teenager, an engineering student, passed away before treatment could save her.

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

According to medical reports, Deep Vein Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in the deep veins, usually in the legs. While it may start with symptoms like leg pain, swelling, or discomfort, if untreated, the clot can travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition.

Hormonal pills, long periods of immobility, or genetic predispositions can all increase the risk of DVT.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor for any concerns or questions regarding your health or medical condition.