It’s no secret and, unfortunately, it’s not exactly ‘new news’ that America ranks behind many other wealthy developed countries when it comes to both infant and maternal mortality (the death of a mother or baby during pregnancy and up to one year after being born/giving birth). Worst of all, an estimated 80 percent of maternal deaths are considered preventable. Given the above, the most pressing question experts and concerned citizens alike should be asking is this: what can we learn from other countries who have lower rates than we do?
Why look to Denmark?
There are two main reasons to look to Denmark for pointers on driving down infant and maternal mortality rates. One, due to its primarily socialized medical system, the country keeps meticulous records, so we know that their numbers are likely to be very accurate and that their statistics represent large datasets. The second reason is that their maternal mortality rate (4/100,000 live births) is fully four times lower than that in the U.S (17/100,000 live births, as of 2023). Similarly, their infant mortality rate (3/1,000 births) is more than 1.5x lower than in the U.S (5.1/1,000 births as of 2023).
What does Denmark do differently than the United States?
Midwifery-led care
We’ve previously addressed the many benefits of the midwifery model of care, which views pregnancy and birth as natural and normal rather than pathological and automatically necessitating medical intervention. In Denmark, the majority of births are considered low-risk and are attended by midwives in the hospital setting.
We’ve also covered the risks of unnecessary C-sections at length. Defaulting to the midwifery model of care for low-risk women translates to fewer C-sections because only medically necessary C-sections are performed. In Denmark, around 1 in 5 of births are C-sections, compared to 1 in 3 births in the U.S.
Defaulting to the midwifery model of care for low-risk women translates to fewer C-sections because only medically necessary C-sections are performed. In Denmark, around 1 in 5 of births are C-sections, compared to 1 in 3 births in the U.S.
Prenatal and maternal care, ultrasounds, labs are all free of charge
Denmark has government-funded, i.e. taxpayer-subsidized, healthcare with a small private insurance sector. While this article will not attempt to address the pros and cons of privatized vs. publicly-funded healthcare, the bottom line is that in Denmark, expectant and newly postpartum mothers receive their prenatal care, labor and birth and postpartum care, and all imaging (like ultrasounds), blood draws, etc. free of charge.
In contrast, the average U.S. cost for prenatal care plus an uncomplicated vaginal birth was upwards of $13,000 before insurance in 2020, according to a Babylist article. Furthermore, as has been my own experience in Illinois, blood draws and ultrasounds are often not included in the cost bundling of prenatal, hospital, and postpartum care. In my most recent pregnancy, from fall 2024 to summer 2025, the first trimester ultrasound cost over $300 before the deductible and the anatomy scan at 20 weeks was around $400 before the deductible.
A year’s worth of parental leave
In Denmark, mothers are entitled to go on paid maternity leave four weeks before their due date, and guaranteed 14 weeks after the birth. New fathers are guaranteed two weeks of leave after the baby’s birth. Even better, a couple has 32 additional weeks of leave to split between the two of them, and this leave can be taken one after the other or simultaneously. All told, that adds up to a full year of parental leave!
Families who welcome multiple babies at once are eligible for an extended parental leave. Furthermore, the same parental leave policies extend to adoptive families, starting the day they bring their child home.
Who pays for paid parental leave in Denmark?
If you’re wondering who pays for the paid leave, a Danish governing body does. Importantly, paid leave does not automatically mean “paid at 100% of the employee’s salary.” Similarly to short- and long-term disability here in the States, the percentage of pay a parent receives is based on their employment status and other factors (though in the States, the federal government is not responsible for paying for leave). Some Danish companies opt to compensate their employees above and beyond the governmental leave benefits, to total 100% of the employee’s usual pay, but this is not the law.
Robust postpartum care
In the U.S., the only meaningful care most women receive is a six-week postpartum visit to greenlight a return to exercise and intercourse. This is despite the fact that for nine years, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)’s has recommended a much earlier visit, at three weeks postpartum. An earlier visit makes perfect sense since the first six weeks after birth represent the highest risk timeframe for maternal mortality, before a woman (hopefully) makes it back to the doctor’s office.
In the U.S., the only meaningful care most women receive is a six-week postpartum visit to greenlight a return to exercise and intercourse.
I learned about the three-week recommendation before the birth of my fourth child two years ago, so I specifically asked my OB/GYN’s office about scheduling a visit at three weeks (which, to their credit, was the recommendation on the discharge paperwork from the hospital). Unfortunately, the receptionist told me, “Oh, no, we just do six weeks here.” Again with my most recent birth, the hospital discharge paperwork for my uncomplicated vaginal birth recommended a three week checkup, and again, the OB/GYN’s office scheduled me for a six week visit.
Home visitor program for brand new babies and their moms
On the other hand, Denmark, similarly to a recently launched initiative in New Jersey, boasts a robust home visiting program to ensure both maternal and newborn wellbeing over the first weeks and months postpartum. Over the course of multiple visits, a trained nurse assesses the baby’s vital signs, answers breastfeeding questions, and screens for postpartum depression.
On the other hand, Denmark, similarly to a recently launched initiative in New Jersey, boasts a robust home visiting program to ensure both maternal and newborn wellbeing over the first weeks and months postpartum.
The government assigns new moms to support groups
New mothers, including expats, are also automatically assigned by the hospital to one or two support groups, called ormødregruppe, with five or six other women who live close by. A municipal midwife spearheads the first meeting. Though the meetings are nonmedical in nature, they’re based upon the concept that “social connection is medicine.”
New mothers, including expats, are also automatically assigned by the hospital to one or two support groups, called ormødregruppe, with five or six other women who live close by.
These meetups provide a sense of solidarity, and give new moms a reason to get out of the house, as well as an opportunity to learn from and support other women in their same season of life. In the process, the groups reportedly lead women to breastfeed longer and reduce instances of postpartum depression.
The bottom line
Hand-wringing over the crisis level our maternal and infant mortality rates have reached here in the U.S. is not an effective mitigation tactic. Women’s and children’s lives are worth our laser focus on implementing proven policies and practices–and the best news is that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to do this. Fortunately, we can look to other countries whose metrics in these important areas of health and wellbeing far outpace our own. Denmark may be a good place to start.
