Overview — Prenatal Care in Canadian NP Practice
NPs in Canada provide prenatal care either independently or as part of interprofessional maternity care teams.
NPs in Canada provide prenatal care either independently or as part of interprofessional maternity care teams. The CNPLE tests: evidence-based prenatal care per SOGC (Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada) guidelines; identification of high-risk pregnancies requiring obstetric referral; interpretation of routine antenatal screening; and recognition and management of common complications. Recommended prenatal visit schedule (SOGC): - Low-risk: every 4-6 weeks until 28 weeks; every 2-3 weeks until 36 weeks; weekly until delivery - High-risk: more frequent visits per specific risk factors - Total visits: approximately 10 for low-risk multiparous; 14 for primiparous NP scope in prenatal care: includes history and physical, ordering all routine antenatal labs and screening ultrasounds, managing common pregnancy complications (nausea, heartburn, constipation, anemia, UTI), gestational diabetes management, and providing patient education. The NP REFERS for: hypertension in pregnancy (new onset), fetal growth restriction, placenta previa, multiple gestation, prior cesarean requiring VBAC discussion, significant fetal anomalies. On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are...
