When it comes to parental leave provisions and maternal healthcare standards, you might think the world’s richest countries would always lead the way.

In reality, that’s not always the case. The United States, for example, the richest nation in terms of GDP, provides no statutory paid leave for new parents, while Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus and the UK were ranked last in a 2019 UNICEF study looking at family-friendly government policies.

At the other end of the spectrum, certain Scandinavian and Eastern European countries offer new mothers exceptional benefits and healthcare – some so impressive, you might be tempted to up sticks and relocate before you become a parent.

To mark Mother’s Day (March 27), here are some of the best places in the world to be a mum…

Sweden

Renowned for its generous maternal care, Sweden is strong on gender equality too – in 1974 it became the first country to replace gender-specific maternity leave with parental leave.

Parents are entitled to share 480 days of leave, with 90 reserved exclusively for each parent, while single parents get the full 480 days – which equates to a year and just over seven weeks. During 390 of those days, parents are entitled to almost 80% of their full-time pay.

Parents can accumulate leave from multiple births, and from the ages of one to six (when compulsory schooling starts), children have the right to a tax-subsidised place in nursery.

Iceland

In 2021, Iceland extended its parental leave from 10 to 12 months for children who are born, adopted or taken into permanent foster care. Each parent is entitled to six months, with one month transferable, usually paid at 80% of their salary. Parents can also take temporary unpaid leave of up to 16 weeks until the child is eight years old.

Iceland also ranks amongst the countries with the lowest maternal mortality rates, with two deaths per 100,000 births, according to Gates Foundation figures.

Norway

Another Scandinavian nation with strong gender equality credentials, Norway gives parents the right to a combined 48 weeks of leave paid at 100% of their usual income, or 58 weeks at a lower rate, as long as they are a legal resident and have had some form of income for six out of the previous 10 months.

In addition, lower income parents may be eligible for a one-off payment of NOK 90,300 (around £7,700) for every child they give birth to or adopt. Also, child benefit of around £115 a month is paid until the child is six years old, then dropping to around £90 a month until they reach age 18.

Norway also has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, at just two deaths per 100,000 births.

Slovakia

Residents of Slovakia get 34 weeks paid maternity leave, rising to 37 weeks for single mothers and 43 weeks in the case of two or more children born at a time.

On top of that, employers are obliged to grant parental leave when requested until the child turns three, or six if the child has a health condition.

Finland

Finland is famous for the ‘baby box’ every newborn receives for free. Valued at €170 (around £140), it contains a selection of baby clothing, bedding and other essentials, and the box itself can be used as a cot.

A new act coming into force this year in Finland, designed to improve equality for different types of families, specifies leave allowances of 160 days each for the ‘birthing parent’ and the ‘child’s other parent’, of which 63 can be transferred from one parent to the other (the birthing parent also gets 40 days of pregnancy leave).