Introduction: Maternal mortality is a sensitive index to know the type of obstetrics care the women receive during pregnancy, labor and puerperium. It indirectly reflects the socio-economic status of society and state. Aims & objective: The present study was undertaken to study the causes of maternal mortality and to plan strategies to further improve the health services to reduce the incidence of maternal mortality in western Rajasthan. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, at Umaid hospital attached to Dr S N Medical college, Jodhpur during the period of five years with effect from January 2005 to December 2009. Data were collected from record room of this hospital and scrutinized. Results: Most maternal deaths i.e 70%(181) occurred within 24 hours of admission. Maximum numbers of deaths were in age group of 21-30 years (68.48%), incidence in primigravidae was 37.74%, maximum i.e. 93.4% deaths were in  unbooked patients, 72% patients were from rural areas and 28% patients were from urban area. Conclusion: Haemorrhage, eclampsia and anaemia are the major causes of maternal deaths contributed by illiteracy in a developing country like India. PPH is a preventable cause of maternal mortality. Hospital delivery, prevention and treatment of anaemia, training of health personal at peripheral level for   timely identification and referral of high risk cases, timely availability of blood products and active management of third stage of labor are key factors to reduce maternal mortality due to haemorrhage in our areas. 

Keywords: Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH); Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR); Subtotal Abdominal Hysterectomy (STAH); Puerperium; Eclampsia; Toxaemia.