Hannah Purvis died following miscarriage, inquest told

Hannah Purvis, 41, of Catkin Close, Cringleford, was just six weeks pregnant when she received the devastating news that her pregnancy was not viable. 

In a statement read out in court, her mother, Elizabeth Purvis, said: “She had always wanted to meet ‘Mr Right’, settle down, and have a family. 

“She was over the moon when she found out she was pregnant.” 

Norwich Coroner's Court - Picture: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

But on March 10, 2022, she experienced spotting and bleeding. She was told that her baby had stopped growing and, on March 31, she underwent a medical procedure following the miscarriage.

She was able to return home after, but the next day vomited and began experiencing pain believing it to be caused by anesthesia wearing off. 

Her symptoms worsened and she began to feel "extreme pain" in her stomach, back, and legs.

It was then that her partner Andrew called 999 at around 1pm on April 1. 

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Paramedics arrived soon after and transported her to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where she later went into cardiac arrest and died.

Mrs Purvis added: “Hannah was independent and lived life to the full. She adored her nephew. And her colleagues would also refer to her as a ‘Pocket Rocket’. 

“She passed away without any of us saying goodbye.”   

In 1987, Miss Purvis was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1), a condition characterised by the growth of tumors along nerves in the skin, brain, and other parts of the body.  

This was a condition that was monitored regularly and one she received annual reviews for.

A postmortem carried out on April 11 revealed that Miss Purvis had developed pheochromocytoma - a benign tumour of the adrenal gland that causes overproduction of certain hormones.

It is a rare growth that may be dangerous or life-threatening and can affect up to 5pc of NF-1 patients.

Yvonne Blake, area coroner for Norfolk, led the inquest at Norwich’s Coroner’s Court at County Hall on Tuesday, February 21. 

She said "while Hannah’s pregnancy was not the cause of the pheochromocytoma", being pregnant and experiencing a subsequent miscarriage was likely to have rapidly stimulated the production of hormones that led to her being unwell.

Miss Purvis’s death was also referred to the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), a specialist agency that investigates maternal deaths.

Its report explained that a diagnosis can take up to eight years but it believes that Miss Purvis’s tumor was likely to have been present for a few months. 

Ms Blake ruled that Miss Purvis died from natural causes and expressed her condolences to the family. 

The youngest of three, Miss Purvis was born on July 10, 1980, in Boston, Lincolnshire, and spent the first few months of her life in nearby Spalding before the family moved to Norfolk.

She was well-known in the running community for her “kindness and big smile” as well as her penchant for bright leggings.  

A member of Wymondham Athletics Club, she would dress from head to toe in bright pinks, lilacs and neon, and completed well over 100 Parkrun events and had dozens of medals to her name.

She was particularly admired for her love of running up hills and would describe them as "mountains of opportunities." 

Miss Purvis worked as a credit controller at insurance company CNA Hardy and had previously worked at Aviva and Specsavers before moving to Cringleford in 2012. 

Away from running, she enjoyed relaxing with a cross-stitch project. 

• To read more obituaries and tributes, or to pay tribute to a loved one, join the Facebook group Norfolk's Loved & Lost. ​