Poll: Do We Support Working Mothers Enough?

New Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer plans to take just a few weeks off after having her baby and to work through her leave, according to Fortune Magazine.

Mayer's announcement and the fact that she is the first person to become chief executive of a Fortune 500 company while pregnant has generated a lot of discussion about pregnancy options for working women, noted the New York Times.

Mayer's compensation package is estimated to be worth about $60 million, USA Today reported. Mayer will have all the help she feels she needs in terms of childcare, options most working mothers do not have.

The 1993 Family Medical Leave Act guarantees women 12 weeks of unpaid leave, according to BabyCenter.com. The website notes that act does not cover most smaller companies.

Most women who take leave use a combination of short-term disability, sick time and vacation to maintain some income after giving birth. Although, few would consider taking care of a newborn a vacation.

Many other countries offer far more time off, often paid. According to workingmother.com, the U.S. is one of a few countries that does not mandate paid leave for new mothers. Some of the other countries on the list are Swaziland and Papua New Guinea.

Earlier this month, Anne-Marie Slaughter wrote an article in the Atlantic "Why Women Still Can't Have It All."

"I still strongly believe that women can 'have it all,' " Slaughter wrote. "But not today, not with the way America's economy and society are currently structured."