Safe Harbor Index · Pregnant / family planning
Best Countries to Move to While Pregnant or Planning a Family
Free public maternity care, paid leave that puts the US to shame, and birth outcomes among the world's best — most of these countries deliver. One major exception is flagged below.
Updated June 2026 · 11 countries assessed
Strong fit
Law, services and community all line up.
🇩🇪 Germany
GKV (statutory health insurance) covers all maternity care plus a midwife at home. 14 weeks Mutterschutz at full pay + 14 months Elterngeld parental leave shared. Birth outcomes among the best in Europe.
🇪🇸 Spain
Public maternity care is free and high-quality even on a tourist registration once your padrón is filed. 16 weeks paid leave for both parents (equalised in 2021). Hospital birth standard; home-birth midwifery is private.
🇨🇦 Canada
Provincial health plans cover all maternity care. 17 weeks maternity + up to 61 weeks parental leave (EI). Strong perinatal outcomes in major cities.
🇮🇹 Italy
SSN maternity care is universal and excellent. 5 months mandatory paid leave at 80%. North Italian hospitals (Milan, Bologna) consistently rank top-10 in EU maternity outcomes.
Good, with caveats
Workable — read the note for the catch.
🇵🇹 Portugal
SNS maternity care is free once registered. 120–150 days paid parental leave shared between parents. Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra have public maternity hospitals with English-speaking staff.
🇮🇪 Ireland
HSE maternity care free for residents. 26 weeks Maternity Benefit + 7 weeks Parent's Benefit shared. Domiciliary midwifery available in Dublin and parts of Cork.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
NHS maternity care free for ordinarily-resident. 52 weeks Statutory Maternity Leave (39 paid). Shared Parental Leave available. Birth outcomes vary by trust — London and Edinburgh among best.
🇭🇺 Hungary
Public maternity care free for residents. 24 weeks CSED at 70% then GYED. Government heavily subsidises larger families through CSOK housing program.
🇦🇷 Argentina
Public hospital maternity care free. 90 days paid maternity leave (minimum). Buenos Aires hospitals (Italiano, Alemán) are top-tier; provincial care more variable.
🇲🇽 Mexico
IMSS or Seguro Popular successor (IMSS-Bienestar) provides basic maternity care. Private maternity hospitals in CDMX, Guadalajara, Monterrey are affordable and English-friendly (~MXN 80,000 vaginal, MXN 120,000 c-section).
Check carefully
Significant legal or practical gaps for this group.
🇵🇱 Poland
NFZ covers prenatal and birth fully. 20 weeks maternity leave at 100%, 32 weeks parental leave at 70%. 2021 near-total abortion ban remains a significant consideration; reform stalled in 2025.
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