Objective: to analyze the rates of maternal mortality due to hemorrhage identified in Brazil from 1997 to 2009.
Methods: the time series and population data from the Brazilian Health Ministry, Mortality Information System and Live Birth Information System were examined. From the Mortality Information System, we initially selected all reported deaths of women between 10 and 49 years old, which occurred from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2009 in Brazil, recorded as a "maternal death".
Results: during the research period, 22,281 maternal deaths were identified, among which 3,179 were due to hemorrhage, accounting for 14.26% of the total deaths. The highest rates of maternal mortality were found in the North and Northeast areas of Brazil.
Conclusions: the Brazilian scenario shows regional inequalities regarding maternal mortality. It presents hemorrhaging as a symptom and not as a cause of death.