Top 10 Places to Be Called "Mom!"

Dec. 17, 2010— -- Motherhood has its joys and challenges, and the ratio of one to the other varies wildly depending on where in the world a mom lives. In a list ranking 160 of the best and worst countries on the planet to be a mother, the United States was 28th from the top, according to Save the Children, the international charity that aims to help children in need.

Countries were ranked based on the measurement of four key factors in a mother's life: her own health, economic status, political clout and the well-being of her children.

All countries were ranked according to lifetime risk of maternal death, percentage of women using modern contraception, female life expectancy, expected number of years of formal schooling, ratio of estimated female to male earned income, participation of women in national government and mortality rate for children under age 5.

In industrialized countries, additional factors considered were maternity leave benefits, number of young children enrolled in pre-school education programs and number of older children enrolled in high school.

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In developing countries, meanwhile, additional factors included how frequently skilled healthcare workers assist with birthing babies; children's access to clean water; and the number of children enrolled in primary education program, including the ratio of girls to boys.

Here is a list of the top 10 best and worst places worldwide to be a mom.

Best Places

1. Norway

2. Australia

3. Iceland

4. Sweden

5. Denmark

6. New Zealand

7. Finland

8. Netherlands

9. Belgium

10. Germany

Where In the World Is Best for Moms?

Worst Places

151. Equatorial Guinea

152. Eritrea

153. Sudan

154. Mali

155. DR Congo

156. Yemen

157. Guinea-Bissau

158. Chad

159. Niger

160. Afghanistan