In this issue of Healing Hands, we examine health risks and barriers to reducing them experienced by homeless women and their children, during and following pregnancy. The lead article addresses the greatest challenge reported by Health Care for the Homeless clinicians in caring for these women: alleviating substance abuse problems, to protect maternal and fetal health and foster normal child development. Subsequent pieces list other barriers to healthy pregnancies that are disproportionately experienced by homeless women and points to ways in which HCH providers are endeavoring to overcome them.