Objectives: To determine, outline, and assess the factors contributing to maternal mortality, especially the avoidable factors, and to evaluate the possibility of prevention of such factors to decrease the incidence of maternal mortality to the least possible value, and finally to make some recommendations to achieve this goal.Materials and methods: Retrospective study of mortality records of obstetric cases in Embaba General Hospital during the period between (January 1, 2001) to (December 31, 2010).Results: The number of maternal mortalities was 41 cases, Maternal mortality ratio(MMR) was 62.3 per 100,000.The study revealed that direct causes represent 87.8%, and indirect causes represent 12.2% with obstetric hemorrhage still the most common cause of maternal mortality; being 56.1%,followed by Amniotic fluid pulmonary embolism, complications of severe hypertensive disorders and sepsis. Substandard care was reported in 7.2% of cases. Conclusion: Maternal deaths occurred in most of cases due to postpartum haemorrahge, amniotic fluid pulmonary embolism complications of severe hypertensive disorders and sepsis. Maternal mortality involves a complex mixture of clinical infrastructural and social causes and requires a multifaceted approach; however it can be avoided in most cases through improving antenatal care, emergency obstetric services and reform of internship training program.