This article analyzes the efficacy of qualitative research techniques in measuring maternal mortality and its predisposing factors. Since the establishment of the Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987, several techniques have been utilized to measure mortality rate particularly among developing countries. A number of key measurement techniques administered in developing countries include Sisterhood questions through household surveys, direct Sisterhood method by the Demographic and Health Surveys, the direct validation study of indirect Sisterhood method, and the Reproductive Age Mortality Study. Quantitative measures, which include maternal mortality ratio, produce absolute numbers that make it difficult to interpret. The use of qualitative information to supplement qualitative measures is necessary to provide an in-depth analysis of cases of maternal deaths. Using both qualitative and quantitative sources, identification of maternal deaths must be initially conducted through death certificates, community-based death identification and the Maternal Death Review (MDR). MDR is a qualitative, in-depth investigation of the causes and circumstances surrounding a small number of maternal deaths occurring at selected health facilities. This paper concludes that data collection efforts and choice of sources and methodologies should be based on the method of information presentation, while a variety of sources and approaches must be used to effectively collect complete maternal mortality information and supplementation of quantitative data with qualitative data.