This study investigates the effect of family planning on maternal health in the Democratic Republic of Congo, using data from the 2007 Demographic and Health Survey to understand the relationship between family planning knowledge, use of modern contraceptives, maternal health, and maternal mortality in a developing country. The results find that the use of modern family planning methods reduces the probability of death related to maternal causes and increases the likelihood of women experiencing positive maternal health levels. The results illustrate a relationship between wanted pregnancies and both increased likelihood of positive maternal health and reduced probability of maternal death. The results also highlight the importance of a number of indeterminate factors of maternal health and maternal mortality, including educational attainment, age, number of children per women, access to health care facilities, and access to safe drinking water supplies. Based on these results, family planning programs have the potential to reduce maternal mortality and improve maternal health by empowering women to control fertility choices and expanding access to health care facilities. The Democratic Republic of Congo could benefit from improved family planning programs as well as broader development in the areas of health care and education. International policy decisions should reflect the important role of family planning as a component of international economic and social development while continuing to promote overall educational attainment and health care improvements including access to health facilities, quality of care, and supply of safe drinking water