All pregnant cocaine-dependent women referred for drug treatment were screened by an intake specialist who coordinated admission to residential and outpatient treatment programs at a university-based family center. Baseline data were collected during a 2-week intake period prior to participation in treatment services. The intake process included psychosocial, medical, and psychiatric interviews, as well as a physical examination and laboratory tests. Biopsychosocial characteristics and issues that influenced the women's multiple treatment outcomes were studied. Comparisons of retention and infant birth outcomes revealed no significant differences between residential and outpatient treatment programs, whereas abstinence and patterns of attrition showed meaningful differences favoring residential treatment. Two critical periods for specialized intervention with pregnant cocaine-dependent women were suggested from retention statistics, first 3 months post-admission and between delivery and 2 months postpartum. Additional research is recommended to evaluate whether reported treatment outcomes are markers of improved life functioning that hold promise for women in treatment, their families, and the community. 42 references and 4 tables