| Rank | Heat | Nation | Athletes | Time | Notes |
| 2 | | Carmelita Jeter, Mechelle Lewis, Mikele Barber, Lauryn Williams | 42.24 | Q, WL |
| 2 | | Sheri-Ann Brooks, Kerron Stewart, Simone Facey, Shelly-Ann Fraser | 42.70 | Q, SB |
| 2 | | Laura Turner, Montell Douglas, Emily Freeman, Joice Maduaka | 42.82 | Q, SB |
| 1 | | Olivia Borlee, Hanna Mariën, Elodie Ouédraogo, Kim Gevaert | 42.85 | Q, NR |
| 1 | | Irina Khabarova, Natalia Rusakova, Yuliya Gushchina, Yevgeniya Polyakova | 42.90 | Q |
| 1 | | Nastassia Shuliak, Natallia Safronnikava, Alena Neumiarzhitskaya, Aksana Drahun | 43.16 | Q, SB |
| 2 | | Katja Wakan, Cathleen Tschirch, Johanna Kedzierski, Verena Sailer | 43.17 | q |
| 2 | | Marta Jeschke, Daria Korczyńska, Dorota Jędrusińska, Ewelina Klocek | 43.25 | q, SB |
| 1 | | Tao Yujia, Chen Jue, Jiang Lan, Qin Wangping | 43.39 | SB |
| 10 | 1 | | Heidi Hannula, Sari Keskitalo, Ilona Ranta, Johanna Manninen | 43.41 | |
| 11 | 1 | | Gloria Kemasuode, Endurance Ojokolo, Oludamola Osayomi, Ene Franca Idoko | 43.58 | SB |
| 12 | 2 | | Gifty Addy, Elizabeth Amolofo, Esther Dankwah, Vida Anim | 43.76 | SB |
| 13 | 1 | | Carima Louami, Muriel Hurtis-Houairi, Fabienne Beret-Martinel, Christine Arron | 43.88 | |
| 14 | 1 | | Sally McLellan, Melanie Kleeberg, Crystal Attenborough, Fiona Cullen | 43.91 | |
| 15 | 1 | | Thatiana Regina Ignâcio, Lucimar Aparecida de Moura, Thaissa Presti, Luciana dos Santos | 44.64 | |
| 2 | | Virgen Benavides, Roxana Díaz, Misleidys Lazo, Yenima Arencibia | | |
| 2 | | Saori Kitakaze, Sakie Nobuoka, Mayumi Watanabe, Momoko Takahashi | | |
| 2 | | Olena Chebanu, Nataliya Pohrebnyak, Iryna Shtanhyeyeva, Iryna Shepetyuk | | |
