United States(01 of49)
Open Image ModalNew parents in the U.S. are entitled to a measly 12 weeks of job-protected time off under the 1993 Family Medical Leave Act, though with no cash benefits. And the 12-week rule only covers those who work for companies with 50 employees or more. Unfortunately for expectant parents, a full 96 per cent of businesses in the United States have fewer than 50 workers on the payroll.Some states do offer paid leave, along with more enlightened companies, including Google, which gives new parents 22 weeks plus $500 in cash to cover baby-related expenses.Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer increased paid leave for moms from eight weeks to 16; the company also gives dads eight weeks off. (credit:Getty)
Lesotho(02 of49)
Open Image ModalIn this tiny nation, nestled within South Africa, life expectancy is just 52 years, three-quarters of the country's two million people are subsistence farmers, and 42 per cent of women are unemployed. (credit:Getty)
Swaziland(03 of49)
Open Image ModalAlso located in southern Africa, Swaziland is an impoverished nation where 60 per cent of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day.It also has one of the highest rate of HIV infection among adults aged 15 to 49: 26 per cent. Among pregnant women between the ages of 30 and 24, that spikes to a heart-wrenching 54 per cent.Not surprisingly, the country is in the bottom 10 when it comes to life expectancy, which is just 47 years. (credit:Getty)
Papua New Guinea(04 of49)
Open Image ModalThis island just north of Australia remains one of the least explored places in the world. The majority of Papua New Guinea's seven million inhabitants still live in traditional societies and speak 820 indigenous languages. Most women are illiterate and have an average of 3.3 children (compared to 1.89 in the U.S.). (credit:Getty)
Liberia(05 of49)
Open Image ModalThe West African nation of Liberia was colonized by black Americans in the 1820s, mostly by freed slaves, who ruled for 130 years.In 1980, they were overthrown in a military coup that led to bloody civil wars that killed 250,000 people and brought Charles Taylor to power. Taylor was himself overthrown after yet another horrific conflict.In 2005, a Harvard-trained economist named Ellen Johnson Sirleaf came to power in Liberia's first fair election. Africa's first female president won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. So there's hope that Liberia will be surpassing the U.S. on maternity leave sometime soon. (credit:Getty)
UP NEXT: (06 of49)
Open Image ModalMaternity Leaves From Around The World
Canada(07 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 52 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 55 per cent at 17 weeks for maternity leave, and the additional 35 weeks can be taken by either parent. Wages also depend on province. (credit:Getty)
Iceland (08 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 3 Months
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 (credit:Flickr: biologyfishman)
Germany(09 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:(Photo by Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images))
Japan (10 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 67 (credit:Flickr: OiMax)
Malta (11 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Magnus Bråth)
New Zealand (12 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks Paid, 38 Weeks Unpaid
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Tākuta)
Switzerland (13 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 (credit:Flickr: Oyvind Solstad)
United States (14 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 12 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: No national program but cash benefits may be provided at the state level. (credit:Flickr: Gage Skidmore)
Belgium(15 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 15 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 82 per cent for the first 30 days and 75 per cent for the remaining period. (credit:Getty)
Finland(16 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 105 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 70 (credit:Getty)
Slovenia(17 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 105 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Luigi Rosa)
Austria(18 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Getty)
France(19 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Getty)
Latvia(20 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 112 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: xmacex)
Luxembourg(21 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: James Cridland)
Netherlands (22 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: marjoleinknuit)
Spain (23 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Grey World)
Greece (24 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 119 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 50 (credit:Flickr: tjuel)
Australia(25 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 18 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: Each parent can take up to 12 months of leave, of which 18 weeks are paid. (credit:Getty)
Lithuania(26 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 126 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Mr. T in DC)
Belarus(27 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 126 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Getty)
Moldova (28 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 126 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Aurelian SÄ)
Ukraine (29 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 126 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: LancerenoK)
Romania (30 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 126 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 85 (credit:Flickr: gorriti)
Portugal (31 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 120 to 150 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: Parental benefits paid at 100 per cent for the shorter duration of leave and 80 per cent for the longer option (credit:Flickr: freddie boy)
Estonia(32 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 140 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Getty)
Poland (33 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 20 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Magic Madzik)
Russia (34 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 140 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Mad Wraith)
Italy (35 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 5 Months
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 (credit:Flickr: Ell Brown )
Bulgaria(36 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 135 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid:90 (credit:Shutterstock)
Hungary (37 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 24 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 70 (credit:Flickr: kat.dodd)
Ireland (38 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 26 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 (credit:Flickr: Tom Raftery)
Czech Republic(39 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 28 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 60 (credit:Getty)
Slovakia(40 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 28 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 55 (credit:Flickr: quinet)
Macedonia (41 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 9 Months
Percentage Of Wages Paid: Not found. (credit:Flickr: Zé.Valdi)
Norway (42 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 36 to 46 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: Parental benefits paid at 100 per cent for the shorter duration of leave and 80 per cent for the longer option. (credit:Flickr: Lemsipmatt)
Albania(43 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 365 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 per cent prior to birth and for 150 days after and 50 per cent for the rest of the leave period. Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha shown here. (credit:Getty)
Bosnia And Herzegovina(44 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 1 Year
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 82 per cent for the first 30 days and 75 per cent for the remaining period. (credit:Shutterstock)
Croatia(45 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 1 Year
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Getty)
Denmark(46 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 52 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Getty)
Serbia(47 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 52 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100 (credit:Flickr: Knight Foundation)
United Kingdom (48 of49)
Open Image Modal52 Weeks 90 (p) (credit:Fickr: Gage Skidmore)
Sweden (49 of49)
Open Image ModalLength Of Maternity Leave: 420 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 (credit:Flickr: morberg)