Empirical approaches entail a systematic process of data collection, analysis, and interpretation, while nonempirical approaches include reversion to authority, revelation, intuition, and logical reasoning. Triangulation refers to the use of a combination of methodologies in studying the same phenomenon. Qualitative methodologies offer an alternative to and a complementary perspective on problems addressed in perinatal drug research. Qualitative research is multimethod in focus, involves an integrated approach to the subject matter, and essentially involves three activities: (1) data reduction: process of selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting, and transforming raw data; (2) data display: assembling information in an organized way; and (3) conclusion drawing and verification: noting regularities, patterns, explanations, possible configurations, causal flaws, and propositions that are verified and tested for their plausibility and validity. Issues in qualitative data analysis are considered, such as the self as an instrument and lack of guidelines for data analysis. 43 references