New mothers in the USA are entitled to 12 weeks unpaid leave. There is no national programme to cover wages, although some cash benefits are sometimes provided at state level.
The USA is one of only four countries (the others are Swaziland, Liberia and Papua New Guinea) that do not require employers to provide some form of maternity leave.
In contrast, Danish women enjoy 52 weeks of maternity leave and 100 per cent of their pre-partum salaries.
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and How to crack an egg with one hand & other survival tips for the new mother by Francesca Beauman, published by Bloomsbury.