Save the Children released its 9th annual Mothers' Index that ranks the best — and worst — places to be a mother and a child. Sweden tops the list while the African country of Niger ranked last.

The United States, which came in at 26th in 2007, placed one slot lower this year at #27. The top-10 countries have high scores for mothers' and children's health, educational and economic status. Conditions for mothers and their children in countries at the bottom of the Index are bleak. On average, 1 in 21 mothers will die in her lifetime from pregnancy-related causes. More than 1 child in 6 dies before her fifth birthday, and roughly 1 in 3 suffers from malnutrition, while only 3 girls for every 4 boys are enrolled in school.

Printed from the Modern Mom website: www.modernmom.com - on December 05, 2008
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