To analyze time trend and regional disparities in maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and major causes of maternal death in China from 1996 to 2010.Data used in this study were based on national maternal mortality surveillance system. From 1996 to 2005, it included 176 monitoring districts (countries) in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the inner land. From 2006 to the present, it covered 336 districts (countries). MMR, major causes of maternal death and their reduction margin, average annual reduction rate in different times and regions from 1996 to 2010 were analyzed. The trend and regional differences in MMRs and major causes of mortality were analyzed using Cochran-Armitage trend and Poisson Test.From 1996 to 2010, Chinese MMR has decreased by 53.2% from 64.7 in 1996 to 30.0 per 100 000 live births in 2010. MMR was higher in rural areas (30.1/100 000) than in urban areas (29.7/100 000), and highest in the west region (46.1/100 000) followed by the middle region (29.1/100 000) and the east region (17.8/100 000) in 2010. MMR in east, middle and west regions have decreased by 37.76%, 57.02% and 66.27% respectively from 1996 to 2010. The disparities between different regions were decreasing. From 2006 to 2010, MMR in rural areas has dropped to 1.82 times of the city, and that in the west was 3 times of the east. Obstetric hemorrhage was still the leading cause of maternal death, responsible for 47.9% maternal deaths in 1996 and 27.8% in 2010. The risk of death due to obstetric hemorrhage was decreasing.The MMR in China showed the decreasing trends. Although the regional disparities were still remarkable, they demonstrated narrowing trends. Interventions on maternal death should be focused in rural areas and west regions.