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Exam Overview
The NCC WHNP exam is a computer-based test. You apply to NCC first, and once your application is approved you receive an eligibility window in which to schedule and take the exam. You can test at a PSI test center or at home through live remote proctoring, in which a proctor watches you through your webcam and microphone for the entire session.
Key Facts About the NCC WHNP Exam
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | National Certification Corporation (NCC) |
| Credential | WHNP-BC (Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified) |
| Total questions | 175 multiple-choice questions |
| Scored questions | 150 scored, plus 25 unscored pretest questions |
| Testing time | 3 hours |
| Answer options | Three per question: one correct answer and two distractors |
| Delivery | Computer-based at PSI test centers or by live remote proctoring |
| Testing window | 90 days after approval; schedule within the first 30 days |
| Scoring | Criterion-referenced; reported as Pass or Fail, with descriptors for each content area |
| Results | Posted to your NCC account, typically within about 15 business days |
| Fee | $325 total, including a $50 non-refundable application fee |
| Retest rule | Wait 45 days after your test date; no more than twice per calendar year; full fee each time |
| Certification period | 3 years, maintained through NCC's continuing competency program |
Fees and policies change from time to time, so confirm every detail in the table on NCC's website and in the current WHNP Candidate Guide before you apply.
NCC alphabetizes the three answer options, and the order is scrambled for each candidate, so there is no pattern in where the correct answer appears. Lab values are given in conventional units with SI units in parentheses. Drugs are named by generic name, with trade names added where they help clarity.
Certification is valid for three years. To keep the credential active, you complete NCC's continuing competency program: a specialty assessment at the start of each maintenance cycle that identifies the knowledge areas you should focus on, followed by continuing education targeted to those areas. The maintenance requirements are separate from your state's licensure renewal rules, so track both.
Eligibility
To sit for the exam you need a current, active, unencumbered registered nurse license in the United States or Canada and successful completion of an accredited graduate program that prepares women's health care nurse practitioners. Qualifying programs include master's, Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-master's programs with a WHNP focus. Certificate-only programs that are not part of an accredited graduate program are not accepted.
Your program must include the graduate core courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced health assessment and advanced pharmacology, along with supervised clinical experience in women's health. NCC verifies program completion through your school, so ask your program to submit the required verification as soon as you are eligible. Some candidates may apply shortly before graduation, but you cannot test until program completion is confirmed.
NCC also has specific rules for candidates who graduated some time ago and for candidates educated outside the United States. Read the eligibility section of the current WHNP Candidate Guide carefully if your situation is anything other than a recent graduate with a US license.
What the Exam Covers
NCC organizes the WHNP exam into six content domains. The percentages refer to the 150 scored questions.
NCC WHNP Content Outline
| Domain | Share of Scored Exam | Approximate Scored Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment, Diagnostic Testing and Interpretation | 12% | 18 |
| Primary Care | 13% | 20 |
| Gynecologic and Reproductive Health | 33% | 50 |
| Obstetrics | 29% | 43 to 44 |
| Pharmacology | 10% | 15 |
| Professional Practice Issues | 3% | 4 to 5 |
Assessment, Diagnostic Testing and Interpretation covers the health history, physical examination, breast and pelvic examination, laboratory and imaging interpretation, cytology and HPV results, wet mounts and other point-of-care tests, and prenatal and fetal assessment data.
Primary Care covers health promotion and disease prevention, screening, immunization, and the common medical problems that women's health NPs manage or recognize, such as hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disease, anemia, urinary tract infection, headache, depression and anxiety.
Gynecologic and Reproductive Health is the largest domain. It covers reproductive anatomy and physiology across the life cycle, menstrual disorders and abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, benign gynecologic conditions, vaginitis and sexually transmitted infections, vulvar disorders, contraception, infertility, pregnancy options, breast disorders, gynecologic cancers, menopause, pelvic floor disorders, and LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse reproductive health.
Obstetrics covers the diagnosis of pregnancy, pregnancy physiology, prenatal care and screening, fetal assessment, complications of pregnancy, maternal medical conditions, postpartum care, lactation and postpartum complications.
Pharmacology covers pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in women, drug use in pregnancy and lactation, teratogens, pharmacogenetics, drug interactions and the drug classes used in women's health.
Professional Practice Issues covers scope of practice and regulation, legal and ethical issues, informed consent, confidentiality, reporting duties, quality and safety, and research and evidence-based practice, including basic statistics.
Male care can appear in any domain. Expect questions on the male genital examination, male STIs and partner treatment, testicular and scrotal emergencies, erectile dysfunction as a cardiovascular risk marker, vasectomy and male infertility evaluation, including semen analysis. These questions are few, but they are easy points if you have studied the material in Section 10.
NCC updates its content outline periodically, so download the current WHNP Candidate Guide and check the outline in effect on your test date.
How the Exam Is Scored
The WHNP exam is criterion-referenced. You are measured against a fixed passing standard set by panels of practicing experts, not against other candidates, so every candidate who meets the standard passes. Only the 150 scored questions count toward your result. The 25 pretest questions are being tried out for future exams and do not affect your score, but they are mixed in with the scored items and cannot be identified, so treat every question as if it counts.
There is no penalty for a wrong answer. A blank answer is always wrong, so answer every question, even if you have to guess. With three options, an informed guess after ruling out one distractor gives you a 50% chance.
Your result is reported as Pass or Fail. Along with the overall result, NCC gives you a descriptor for your performance in each content area, on a scale that runs from very weak to very strong. Results are not given at the test center; they are posted to your NCC account, typically within about 15 business days. If you do not pass, use the content-area descriptors to decide where to focus before you retest.
What Kinds of Questions to Expect
- Short outpatient cases that ask for the most likely diagnosis, the best initial test, the most appropriate next step or the first-line treatment
- Screening and management decisions based on age and risk, such as cervical screening intervals, ASCCP-based follow-up of abnormal results, mammography, bone density and STI screening
- Contraception questions that test US MEC categories, starting rules, backup methods, missed-pill instructions, drug interactions and emergency contraception
- Prenatal care questions on dating, first-visit labs, aneuploidy screening, gestational diabetes testing, Rh management, GBS, immunizations and fetal surveillance
- Complications of pregnancy, such as hypertensive disorders, bleeding, preterm labor, hyperemesis and maternal medical conditions
- Postpartum and lactation questions on involution, hemorrhage, infection, mood disorders, breastfeeding problems and drug safety in lactation
- Data to interpret: lab panels, prenatal lab results, cytology and HPV reports, wet mount findings, ultrasound reports, and NST or BPP findings described in words
- Pharmacology questions on mechanisms, side effects, contraindications, teratogens, pharmacogenetic interactions and monitoring
- Findings that require urgent referral or emergency care, such as ectopic pregnancy, ovarian or testicular torsion, preeclampsia with severe features and postpartum psychosis
- Professional practice questions on consent, minors' rights, confidentiality, reporting, ethics and basic statistics
Patients range from adolescents to older postmenopausal women, with many pregnant and postpartum patients, a few men and some LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse patients. The settings are mostly outpatient: women's health clinics, prenatal clinics, family planning clinics, college health centers and telehealth visits.
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