Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)

A women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP) provides primary health care services to women of all ages, generally beginning at adolescence and continuing through pregnancy and menopause.

The WHNP has a specialization in obstetrics and gynecology but also engages in well-woman care, health education, prenatal care and contraceptive counseling as well as providing care for episodic or chronic illnesses, eating disorders and sexually transmitted diseases.

Some women’s health nurse practitioners are heavily involved with diagnosis and treatment, while others function as advisers to women who want to plan a healthy pregnancy, offering advice from pre-conception through the postpartum period. In short, the WHNP is not defined by any single role and may provide essential health care to women throughout their lifespan.

The WHNP has the opportunity to provide care in a variety of clinical settings. Women’s health nurse practitioners work in hospitals, OB-GYN clinics, family planning clinics, Planned Parenthood centers, women’s health clinics, prenatal clinics, women’s prisons and private practices.

These nurse practitioners that specialize in women’s health provide services to women, including: well woman exams, pregnancy testing, fertility evaluation, STD screening, urinary tract problems, menopause health promotion and more.