Introduction
In the developed world, good antenatal and obstetric care has greatly reduced maternal mortality
due to obstetric causes, and cardiac disease has now emerged as the leading cause of maternal mortality
[1,2] (Fig. 1). Of concern, the most recent ‘Saving Mothers’ Lives' report covering maternalmortality in the UK shows that whilst overall maternal mortality in the UK is low and continues to fall,
deaths due to cardiac disease have risen