§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has, in the light of the fact that on the death certificate of a Swanage lady, whose name has been forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Dorset, South the cause of death is shown as birth control pill, of the number of deaths during the last 10 years which have been certified as due to the birth control pill.
925W
§ Mr. MoyleIn the death certificate referred to by the hon. Member the birth control pill was mentioned as a significant condition contributing to the death but not directly related to the underlying cause. The underlying cause was given as coronary thrombosis due to coronary atheroma.
In the years 1968 to 1977 the numbers of deaths in England and Wales involving reference to the birth control pill—or similar term—among the cause of death details were as follows:
1968 16 1969 29 1970 13 1971 11 1972 18 1973 15 1974 11 1975 18 1976 17 1977 18 In any particular death it may not be clear whether the contraceptive pill was directly responsible.