| 1 | Susan Sirma | KEN | 4:04,94 | Q | NR |
| 2 | Debbie Scott-Bowker | CAN | 4:05,07 | Q | |
| 3 | Pattisue Plumer | USA | 4:05,08 | Q | |
| 4 | Ravilya Agletdinova-Kotovich | URS | 4:05,53 | Q | |
| 5 | Violeta Beclea-Szekely | ROM | 4:05,77 | q | |
| 6 | Yvonne Mai-Graham | GER | 4:06,09 | q | |
| 7 | Kirsty Wade | GBR | 4:07,22 | q | |
| 8 | Yvonne Van Der Kolk | NED | 4:07,39 | ||
| 9 | Christine Pfitzinger | NZL | 4:08,43 | ||
| 10 | Khin Khin Htwe | MYA | 4:12,21 | NR | |
| 11 | Estela Estevez | ESP | 4:13,93 | ||
| 12 | Snezana Pajkic | YUG | 4:14,20 | ||
| 13 | Lijuan Zheng | CHN | 4:14,95 | ||
| Dawn Williams-Sewer | DMN | DNS |
| 1 | Hassiba Boulmerka | ALG | 4:08,20 | Q | |
| 2 | Lyudmila Rogachova | URS | 4:08,34 | Q | |
| 3 | Letitia Vriesde | SUR | 4:08,46 | Q | AR |
| 4 | Elena Fidatov | ROM | 4:08,81 | Q | |
| 5 | Christina Boxer-Cahill | GBR | 4:09,01 | ||
| 6 | Darcy Arreola | USA | 4:13,08 | ||
| 7 | Ivana Kleinova-Walterova-Kubesova | TCH | 4:14,69 | ||
| 8 | Leah Pells | CAN | 4:14,82 | ||
| 9 | Aisling Molloy | IRL | 4:16,61 | ||
| 10 | Veronique Pongerard | FRA | 4:16,87 | ||
| 11 | Bigna Samuel | STV | 4:29,42 | NR | |
| 12 | Angelina Mantokoane Pitso | LES | 4:42,79 | NR | |
| Sandra Gasser | SUI | DNF | |||
| Ana Isabel Elias | ANO | DNS |
| 1 | Doina Melinte | ROM | 4:08,78 | Q | |
| 2 | Ellen Kiessling | GER | 4:09,23 | Q | |
| 3 | Tatyana Samolenko-Dorovskikh | URS | 4:09,25 | Q | |
| 4 | Malgorzata Rydz | POL | 4:09,31 | Q | |
| 5 | Gabriella Dorio | ITA | 4:09,34 | ||
| 6 | Irini Theodoridou | GRE | 4:11,14 | ||
| 7 | Karin Medin | SWE | 4:11,23 | ||
| 8 | Robyn Meagher | CAN | 4:12,47 | ||
| 9 | Suzy Hamilton | USA | 4:15,54 | ||
| 10 | Jana Kucerikova | TCH | 4:15,69 | ||
| 11 | Tuuli Merikoski | FIN | 4:17,57 | ||
| 12 | Edith Nakiyingi | UGA | 4:25,43 | ||
| 13 | Rosalie Bague Peng Gangue | CHA | 4:54,41 | NR | |
| Pauline Konga | KEN | DNS |