According to a 2019 report by Unicef, which analysed which of the world’s richest countries are most family friendly, Estonia leads the field for new mothers with over 80 weeks of leave at full pay.

At the bottom of the table was the United States – which, with a grand total of zero weeks, was the only country in the analysis that offered absolutely no national paid leave.

The report, which used data from the 41 countries from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and European Union, found only half offered mothers a minimum of six months full pay.

Using OECD figures, here is a snapshot of paid leave for mothers around the world.

Estonia – 84 weeks full rate equivalent (166 weeks total)

Female workers on an average salary in Estonia can take job-protected leave when they give birth and continue taking home full wages for the first 18 months of their child’s life, in the form of 20 weeks fully paid maternity leave followed by the first 62 weeks of maximum paid parental leave. After that, monthly payments drop considerably until the child turns three.

Austria – 49 weeks FRE (60 weeks total)

Women are obligated to take leave from eight weeks before the birth and eight weeks after, during which they are not allowed to work. Employees are paid their full average net income for the previous three months in maternity benefit with no cap.

Japan – 36 weeks FRE (58 weeks total)

Maternity leave is available at two-thirds of a woman’s average earnings for 14 weeks – six of which are compulsory. Parental leave can then be taken by mothers and fathers at a percentage of earnings until the baby’s first birthday, but it is usually taken by women. It can be extended up to 14 months if both parents take it.

Sweden – 35 weeks FRE (56 weeks total)

Sweden is ranked by Unicef as the world’s most family-friendly country and 17th for maternity leave. Women are entitled to 10 weeks full rate equivalent maternity leave followed by 480 days parental leave, 90 days of which is ringfenced for each parent.

Chile – 30 weeks FRE (30 weeks total)

With the equivalent of around half a year’s pay, Chile has a comparatively generous maternity leave package. All female employees with permanent contracts are entitled to take leave – in fact it is obligatory to take six weeks before the birth and 12 weeks after. After that, women can take a further 12 weeks or transfer it to the child’s father.

Iceland – 18 weeks FRE (26 weeks total)

All parents have the right to paid leave – including the unemployed and students – while new employees and the self-employed are entitled to 80% of their salary. However, as a result of gender pay gaps, women on an average female salary receive considerably less in parental leave than men. Unicef reports that high breastfeeding rates and pay discrepancies mean women tend to take longer time off.

United Kingdom – 12 weeks FRE (39 weeks total)

Female employees can take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave. The first six weeks are paid at 90% of their average weekly earnings and for the following 33 weeks, employees are paid a maximum of £148.68 a week. The final 13 weeks are not paid. Leave can be taken from 11 weeks before the week of birth. It is compulsory for workers to take a minimum of two weeks off after birth and four weeks for factory workers.

Mexico – 12 weeks FRE (12 weeks total)

It is compulsory to take the entire 12 weeks which run from two to six weeks before the birth and six to 10 afterwards. It is paid at 100% of wages with no ceiling. However, the International Network on Leave Policies and Research notes that it only covers employees of the formal economy – leaving out 60% of all employed women.

Australia – 8 weeks FRE (18 weeks total)

Maternity and paternity leave both fall under parental leave which is 12 months unpaid and for which parents can claim 18 weeks leave pay, based on the national minimum wage. While each parent is entitled to unpaid job-protected leave, only one parent can take it at a time.

United States – 0 weeks FRE (0 weeks total)

The US is the only OECD country without a national statutory paid maternity, paternity or parental leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enables some employees to take up to 12 weeks unpaid maternity leave but only 60% of workers are eligible. Eight states – California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, Washington state, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Oregon – plus the District of Columbia have passed their own paid family leave laws.