Exploring the Role of Nurses in Maternal and Child Health Services in Bangladesh: Challenges and Opportunities

Despite improvements in maternal and child health (MCH) indicators in Bangladesh, challenges persist in meeting Sustainable Development Goals, largely due to a critical shortage of nurses—only 4.3 per 10,000 population, well below the WHO’s recommended 25. This narrative review synthesized findings from 16 studies (2000–2023) accessed via PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and WHO repositories, focusing on the role and challenges of nurses in MCH services in Bangladesh. Ten peer-reviewed studies with various methodologies were analyzed thematically. Nurses were primarily involved in antenatal care (70%), delivery assistance (50%), postnatal care (40%), maternal counseling (40%), and immunization/newborn care (30%). Key barriers included limited training opportunities (60%), workforce shortages and heavy workload (50%), and inadequate healthcare infrastructure (50%). Despite these challenges, 80% of the studies documented effective nurse-led interventions, such as outreach clinics, home-based postnatal visits, and health education initiatives. Supportive policy frameworks—like the Community Clinic Strategy, Safe Motherhood Program, and revised nursing curricula—were identified as enablers of improved practice. Findings highlight that nurses play vital but constrained roles across the MCH continuum. With appropriate support, nurse-led initiatives significantly enhance maternal and child outcomes. Moving forward, implementation research, competency-based education reforms, and digital health solutions are essential to bridge policy-practice gaps and overcome geographic barriers. Strengthening the nursing workforce through strategic investment in education and policy execution is critical for advancing MCH outcomes in Bangladesh.