Spain

The situation for mothers in Spain is a blend of traditional and progressive trends and policies. In 2007, Save the Children included Spain in the top 10 places to be a mother and a child (9th in the Mothers' Index rankings among the 41 more developed countries). Like other European Union (EU) countries, Spain has low fertility and infant mortality; the total fertility rate is 1.3 in 2009, and infant mortality is 4.21 per 1,000 live births. About 67 percent of women use modern contraception, and female life expectancy is 84 years (76 for men). Health care is tax based and in 1997, 99.8 percent of the population was covered. The educational status of women is also high, with an average 17 years of formal ...