A young single mother hanged herself three weeks after an abortion, an inquest heard.

Jade Rees, 21, from Oldham, had a termination when a five-month relationship with the unborn baby’s father broke down.

But an inquest heard that the decision left her ‘upset and distressed’.

And three weeks later Jade, who already had a son, played the Ed Sheeran song ‘Small Bump’, written about a miscarriage, through her phone before she took her own life.

She left a handwritten note to explain the struggles she had faced since the procedure.

An inquest at Heywood coroner’s court heard Jade had a history of eating disorders and had battled depression since she was just 14.

She had been taken off anti-depressant medication after falling pregnant with her son in 2013.

Although Jade split from the boy’s father when she was just four months pregnant with him, she had been a doting single mother.

She met her next boyfriend in early 2015 but they split after she became pregnant with his child, with Jade opting for a termination in October last year.

The hearing was told Jade’s mental state worsened and she took two overdoses, the last of which saw her rushed by her family to Royal Oldham Hospital’s A&E department, where she stayed for two days before discharge.

Dr Easodhavidhya Elango, a trainee psychiatric specialist, told the inquest how she had come to know Jade.

(Image: Cavendish News)

She said: “My first impression of Jade was that she was dressed casually and was very well kempt. She was upset and angry, emotions she directed at me, because she had endured such a long wait to see me.

"I apologised for the inconvenience and told her I had been very busy in the clinic.

“She was fiddling on her phone a lot and clearly in no mood to engage with me. She complained that the room was too hot. She told me she just wanted to go home to her son, who she clearly loved dearly.

"She told me about the abortion she had just three weeks earlier, and how the split from her ex-partner had been very distressing for her. She told me she believed he had a new girlfriend and was struggling to come to terms with it.

"Though she was upset, she did not have any ongoing thoughts of suicide or self-harm. She denied any sense of hopelessness, and was adamant she eventually wanted to return to college to complete her A-Levels.

"She denied having any past medical history or any form of psychotic illness. When I asked her about this, she said ‘For God’s sake, I have a son to look after’.

"She identified her son as a protective factor and kept insisting that she wanted to leave so that she could get home and put him to bed. She then stated she did not wish to answer any further questions without her father by her side.

“Though I felt she was no risk to herself or others, due to the two overdoses she had taken so close together, I was concerned by her impulsivity. When her father arrived, he also voiced his concerns about her impulsive nature.

"I referred her to mental health services, and she promised to attend the appointment. I gave her the appointment card in the presence of her father, and he agreed to keep an eye on her.

“She told me she regretted taking the overdose, and promised to keep herself safe. She was on no antidepressants at the time of our meeting that I was aware of, and I did not prescribe her any.”

On the evening prior to her death on November 3, Jade had informed her parents she was attending a bonfire. When she returned home, at around midnight, she seemed ‘very upset’ and proceeded to discuss her ex-partner – though her parents were not concerned about her mental state at this time.

Jade’s body was discovered by her mother the following morning.

Recording a verdict of suicide, assistant coroner Matthew Cox said: “Due to the circumstances and the contents of her note, I am satisfied that Jade did intend the consequence of her actions.

“I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Mr Rees and to the rest of Jade’s family at this very difficult and distressing time.”

Helplines and websites

If you’re struggling to cope with mental health issues here are some of the ways you can access help.

Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.

Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.

PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.

Depression Alliance is a charity for people with depression. It doesn’t have a helpline, but offers a wide range of useful resources and links to other relevant information. http://www.depressionalliance.org/

Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts. Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying. http://studentsagainstdepression.org/