NZ Midwifery Registration study guide
NZ Midwifery Registration · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Registration as a midwife in Aotearoa New Zealand is granted by the Midwifery Council of New Zealand, the statutory regulator. The credential authorises you to practise as a registered midwife across the scope of practice - partnership with women and whānau through pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period - whether you work in a hospital, a primary maternity unit, or as a self-employed Lead Maternity Carer. The NZ Midwifery Registration study guide has 8 sections and about 2,156 words.
01Midwifery knowledge: anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology
This section covers the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period. The exam tests whether you can link structure and function to clinical findings and recognise when normal adaptation becomes pathology.
314 words, about 2 min02Antenatal care and assessment, including screening and risk identification
This domain tests the New Zealand antenatal schedule, what each screening test can and cannot tell you, and when to refer. The exam favours scenarios where a result must be interpreted alongside history and gestation.
303 words, about 2 min03Intrapartum care: labour assessment, monitoring, birth and immediate newborn care
This domain tests labour assessment, fetal monitoring, birth and immediate newborn care. Scenarios usually ask what you would do next and why, so link findings to action and escalation.
275 words, about 1 min04Postnatal care of the woman and newborn, including breastfeeding and transition to parenting
This domain tests systematic postnatal assessment, recognition of postnatal deterioration, and support for feeding and parenting. The postnatal period is where serious pathology is most often missed.
259 words, about 1 min05Midwifery partnership and woman-centred care: informed choice, consent and cultural safety
This domain tests how you share power, give information and obtain valid consent in real scenarios. The exam rewards specific communication behaviours, not general statements about being respectful.
251 words, about 1 min06Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori health equity; culturally safe practice with whānau, hapū and iwi
This domain tests applied understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori health equity, not slogans. Expect scenarios about access, trust, whānau involvement and bias.
256 words, about 1 min07Professional, ethical and legal frameworks: scope of practice, regulation, documentation and accountability
This domain tests applied knowledge of New Zealand law and professional standards. Questions often hinge on what a record must contain or what to do when care falls outside your scope.
247 words, about 1 min08Recognising and responding to complexity, emergencies and referral/consultation pathways
This domain tests timely recognition, structured communication and safe escalation. The exam often presents a deteriorating woman or baby and asks what you do first and whom you call.
251 words, about 1 min