Israel 25th best country to be a mom

Israel was ranked 25th on a list of countries where it is best to be a mother and have children, in an extensive study for the Save the Children charity, published Tuesday. The US came in five places lower, at 30; the UK was at 23.

The Mothers’ Index assessed levels of maternal mortality, child mortality, educational status, poverty, and women’s participation in parliament.

Finland topped the list, followed by Sweden, Norway, and Iceland. On the bottom end were Sierra Leone and Somalia, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo, which ranked the worst country for mothers to give birth in.

“Overall, the world has made unprecedented progress in reducing child and maternal deaths,” Justin Forsyth, CEO of Save the Children foundation, told the Britain-based Daily Mail. “But there are two big challenges, newborn [deaths] and malnutrition.”

The study found that babies born in the developing world are seven times more likely to die within the first day of their birth than in industrialized countries.

Israel’s neighboring countries placed lower on the list, with Lebanon ranking at 63, Jordan at 103, Syria at 112, and Egypt at 118. Iran ranked 85th.