1.   Larger corporations are setting the trend for better maternity benefits.

2.   The new system should, it was argued, include family allowances, maternity benefits and provision for widows.

3.   A recent International Labor Organization study found -- no surprise -- that maternity benefits in the United States are among the stingiest in the industrial world.

4.   In France, maternity benefits have come under the gun.

5.   Japan is considering substantial increases in child and maternity benefits, which are now minimal.

6.   Most prospective parents give little thought to that big hospital bill, as nearly all employers offer maternity benefits.

7.   Others simply dismiss pregnant workers to avoid paying maternity benefits, the department said.

8.   The benefits package includes year-round health and dental benefits, pension, maternity benefits, and life insurance.

9.   The geographical split also surfaced in the vote on giving Swiss women maternity benefits similar to those in other west European countries.

10.   The United Nations International Labor Organization has been struggling to convince countries to sign a global accord setting out maternity benefits.