The women's pentathlon at the 1978 European Athletics Championships was held in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now in the Czech Republic), at Stadion Evžena Rošického on 1 and 2 September 1978.
[1] 1/2 September †: Nadiya Tkachenko ranked initially 1st (4744pts), but was disqualified for infringement of IAAF doping rules.
[2] ‡: Yekaterina Gordiyenko ranked initially 5th (4572pts), but was disqualified for infringement of IAAF doping rules.
[2] According to an unofficial count, 21 athletes from 13 countries participated in the event.