We explore the trends in maternal mortality and health service utilization, and the effects of women’s education, place of residence and age at marriage on the latter by reviewing national representative data of Demographic and Health Surveys and other related research. The DHS surveys in 2000 and 2005 show that, while the maternal mortality ratio changed from 871 to 673 deaths per 100,000 live births, this decline is not statistically significant. The maternal mortality ratio further declined somewhat to 590 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008. Moreover, antenatal care, skilled delivery and postnatal care service utilization did not increase in this 5-year period and remained the lowest in Africa. Maternal mortality is the only health and education MDG that may not be on track for the year 2015 in Ethiopia. Efforts to prevent maternal deaths require a broader range of sectors (beyond health) and partners (beyond government), such as: men as well as women, international organizations, governments, civil society and the media. All are important in expanding health services as well as improving the status of women through improving their educational status.