Maternal mortality due to cardiac disease in Sri Lanka.

Objective: To investigate Sri Lankan maternal deaths due to heart disease and to consider low-cost interventions to reduce these deaths.

Methods: A qualitative study based on retrospective audit of all maternal deaths and late maternal deaths in Sri Lanka caused by cardiac disease in 2004.

Results: A total of 145 maternal deaths were recorded in 2004, for a maternal mortality rate of 38 per 100,000.