<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-15</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><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>600 PEACHTREE ST. NE</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>30308</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-15</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>22.1300</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10767.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (right to 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purchase)</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5000.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.2400</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1998-05-18</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.2400</value></transactionPricePerShare><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>2500.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.0000</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1999-07-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>24.0000</value></transactionPricePerShare><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 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purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.8500</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-05-24</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3750.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>15.8500</value></transactionPricePerShare><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>3750.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><valueOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3750.0000</value></valueOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.4900</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-09-26</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3750.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>8.4900</value></transactionPricePerShare><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>3750.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3750.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (right to purchase)</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.4300</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3750.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>12.4300</value></transactionPricePerShare><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>3750.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3750.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Granted 2003-05-21 and vests in 12 monthly installments after date of grant.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Roberta L. McCaw as Power of Attorney for Carl E. Sanders</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

