<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-19</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0001007228</issuerCik><issuerName>MATRIA HEALTHCARE INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>MATR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001067980</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>SANDERS CARL E</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>16.3768</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5546</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>221</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>16.42</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5767</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>21.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1997-12-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1250</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>21.5</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1998-12-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1250</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1250</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>21</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1998-02-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>21</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-02-24</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-02-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.24</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1998-05-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>18.24</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-05-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-05-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1999-07-23</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>24</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-07-23</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-07-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2000-05-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>18</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-05-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-05-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-05-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3750</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>15.85</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-05-24</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-05-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><valueOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3750</value></valueOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.49</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-09-26</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3750</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>8.49</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-26</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-09-26</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.43</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3750</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>12.43</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Acquired pursuant to merger of MRDC Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of issuer, with and into MarketRing.com, Inc.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Granted 2002-09-26 and vests in 12 monthly installments after date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Granted 2003-05-21 and vests in 12 monthly installments after date of grant.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Roberta L. McCaw as Power of Attorney for Carl E. Sanders</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

