Tubal sterilization continues to be a common means of fertility control in women. A general assumption is that the minilaparotomy technique is satisfactory in the less-developed countries but that laparoscopic methods are superior and should be used in developed countries. One thousand and five hundred cases of laparoscopic tubal fulgurations and resections performed between May, 1973 and November, 1977, are compared with 1500 Pomeroy tubal ligations done via minilaparotomy between May, 1976, and January, 1980 as an outpatient procedures in Seoul National University Hospital. 1. Average age of the clients was 35.0 years in the laparoscopy group and 34.3 years in the minilaparotomy group. 2. Average parity of the clients was 3.1 in the laparoscopy group and 2.9 in the minilaparotomy group. 3. Sterilization procedures have been done under local anesthesia in 82.4% of the laparoscopy group and 100% of the minilaparotomy group. 4. The operation time averaged 8.2 minutes in the laparoscopy group and 20.6 minutes in the minilaparotomy group. 5. Those who had stayed in the hospital after operation for 3 hours or less rated 69 percent in the laparoscopy group whereas the same rate was 31 percent in the minilaparotomy group. 6. The minor complications have been encountered in 32 cases in the laparoscopy group and 28 in the minilaparotomy group. No intensive medical care and laparotomy were required for these minor complications. 7. One case of tubal pregnancy was reported 18 months after laparoscopic cauterization. There were 3 cases of luteal phase pregnancy in the laparoscopy group and 1 case in the minilaparotomy group. 8. The combination of pregnancy termination in the first trimester and sterilization procedures have been done 284 cases of the laparoscopy group and 807 cases of the minilaparotomy group without any significant increase in operation time, and complication when it is compared with that of the nonpregnant women. It is concluded that laparoscopic procedures might be one of the simplest, safest and most