How can blood clots in her lower pelvis 'suddenly' kill her.
The news reports are usually scrambled, but most likely she died of a pulmonary embolism...blood clot, risk of which increases from birth control pills, went to lungs.
Of course, one can die of this from sitting too long in an airplane. Risk of death from pregnancy is not insignificant. Risk of developing breast cancer from later childbirth/nursin is greater. Birth control pills are sometimes prescribed, not for contraception, but for heavy periods, etc. That's life, a series of risk/benefit alternatives. Unfortunately, trial lawyers and ignorant people have figured out how to demonize choice/risk and make a buck from it...
I believe that there is a genetic clotting factor that my sister was tested for. She had to get daily injections of a blood thinner for her pregnancies. If the girl had this and was using the patch (or any birth control with the same hormones) the clot was a "when" not "if". You can only hope to catch it in time at the hospital.