The surgical, immediately postoperative and delayed postoperative complications and complaints associated with spring-loaded clips and electrocoagulation as techniques of tubal sterilization at laparoscopy were evaluated in a comparative study. Each of the two techniques was randomly assigned to 150 subjects. All sterilizations were performed as outpatient procedures. Subjects were followed-up during the first six weeks and again at about six months after sterilization. Rates of complications (surgical and early postoperative) were similar for the two procedures. None of the subjects required subsequent hospitalization. Technical difficulties at surgery were more frequent with the spring-loaded clip technique, principally as a result of mechnical problems with the prototype laparoscope and clip applicator. Postoperative pelvic and abdominal pain were reported by a significantly higher proportion of the patients when the spring-loaded clip was used (spring-loaded clips, 43.6%; electrocoagulation, 31.5%). At the six-month follow-up examination, rates of abnormal pelvic findings and changes in menstrual cycle formation were similar for the two techniques of tubal occlusion. There was one procedure failure among the electrocoagulation patients and none among the spring-loaded clip patients.