Ascertaining the burden of maternal mortality is crucial to the improvement of maternal health for any nation. It provides basis to evolve comprehensive strategies to enhance mothers’ health.

A facility-based survey was carried out in Abia State southeast Nigeria in 2003 to determine the magnitude of maternal deaths and where they occur in the State. Health facilities in the 17 local government areas of the State were enlisted. Data on births and maternal deaths in the preceding 12 months were obtained.

A total of 25,081 births and 43 maternal deaths were recorded for the study period giving maternal mortality rate of 171/100,000. The public facilities had higher value of maternal mortality rate (856.8/100,000) than the private (177.2/100,000). Similarly, the Comprehensive Essential Obstetric Care facilities had lower maternal mortality rate than the Non-Essential Obstetric Care. Poor documentation may be one of the reasons for the low maternal mortality rate in this study. Enforcing proper documentation, reporting and investigation of maternal deaths is hereby recommended.