Britain comes only 19th in a worldwide survey of the safest places to become pregnant and give birth.

Although Britain makes it into the “lowest risk” category in a new study by Population Action International, it is bettered by some surprising nations, including Cuba, Estonia, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia and Singapore.

The league tables, headed by the Netherlands, compares the risks of dying in pregnancy and childbirth by analysing nine indicators.

These include the maternal death rate, the infant mortality rate, the proportion of birth attended by skilled health personnel, the prevalence of HIV/Aids, the percentage of women married by the age of 18, adolescent fertility, and coverage of antenatal care.

Niger tops the table as the least safe with a ranking of 78, closely followed by other African and Asian countries. The mid-range, with risk figures in the 20s, is occupied by countries in Latin America and the Middle East.

The low-risk countries, with scores between 8 and 17, include former Soviet republics, Eastern European nations such as Poland and Bulgaria, and more surprisingly, Ireland and New Zealand.

Britain gets into the lowest risk category with a score of five, the same as the US. What drags Britain down is a high level of teenage births, and a less than 100 per cent record in attendance at births by skilled health personnel. Maternal deaths are very low in Britain and infant mortality is also low, though it is bettered in some other European countries.

The table is, however, only as good as the raw statistics supplied by the countries themselves.

In London yesterday midwives rejected a pay award offered by the Government. The independent review body recommended a rise of 2.5 per cent, but the Government decided to pay it in two stages, reducing the value of the award to 1.9 per cent. Extra money was offered towards midwives’ professional fees, but the college’s governing council rejected the offer yesterday, although it added that it would not be taking industrial action.

Karlene Davis, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “The Government have picked the pockets of midwives, who feel insulted by the offer. It has left the profession feeling angry, demoralised and undervalued.

“We will shortly be submitting our evidence for next year’s pay award, and I am telling the Government that this time we and our members will not be rolled over.”

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