During 1980 there was a marked increase in the number of pregnant addicts attending the Drug Advisory and Treatment Centre in Dublin. Nine heroin-addicted mothers were delivered in 1981, compared to only six in the previous eight years. This report described the characteristics of the drug-addicted mother and the effects on the foetus and the new-born infant. The authors suggested that the high failure rate of current management methods pointed to a need for increased awareness of the problem, and to the need for expectant mothers to become involved in an active and organised programme at an early stage. For the purposes of this study, 15 drug-addicted pregnant mothers, 12 of whom were taking opiates, mainly heroin, were examined. Other common drugs of abuse were barbiturates, cocaine, amphetamines and hallucinogens.