I tacked this on to the end of my Force Choke - A Journey essay, but thought it beared enough weight as its own entry.

Anakin wasn't thinking when he attacked Padme, and he certainly wasn't thinking of his unborn child (blissfully unaware she carried twins). So, I'll further speculate that had Padme not been pregnant, she would have died on the landing platform just like Ozzel and Needa. The largest weakness of the Dark Side, it has become clear, is underestimating the Light Side. The Emperor did it in Jedi. Luke's insight served him well: "Your overconfidence is your weakness." And Palpatine had it wrong: "Your faith in your friends is yours!" What he could never understand is that Luke's faith in his friendships, his love, was what made him strong.

Anyone who has read the Harry Potter series can see a strong parallel.

So it was with Padme. Her love for the good in Anakin, her love for her unborn children, and most importantly the strength of the Force in the twins kept her alive long enough for them to be born. Once delivered, the damage young Vader had done was too much, and she died.