The UK has failed to make the top 20 best places to be a mother, falling behind Ireland and other European countries such as Germany and France.
In a list of 176 countries in the Mother’s Index, contained in Save the Children’s State of the World’s Mothers report, the UK is at 23.
Finland, Sweden and Norway take the top three slots respectively while, for the first time, countries in sub-Saharan Africa take up each of the bottom 10 places.
Ireland has been ranked at number 20, while the US is 30, Germany is at 9 and France at number 16. The report found the DR of Congo to be the toughest place to be a mother.
The index looks at countries around the world that are succeeding and failing in saving the lives of mothers and new-born babies. It assesses mothers’ well-being using indicators of maternal health, under-five mortality, levels of education, income and political status.
Coming in at number 23, the UK has fewer women in Parliament and higher maternal and infant mortality rates than much of Europe, the charity said.
Women in the UK are at a higher risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth than women in Slovakia, Montenegro and Lithuania, according to the statistics.