PIP: This article is based on data gathered during contraceptive prevalence surveys carried out in Costa Rica and Colombia in 1978, and in 1980 in Colombia and 1981 in Costa Rica. The groups studied consisted of women aged 14-49, and ranged in population from n=3,400 to n=4,580. Colombia Ministry of Health policy limits access to sterilization to couples over 30 with at least 3 children. Profamilia, private family planning organization, has similar though less stringent norms. The majority of sterilizations are of females. Sterilization has come under some attack by the Roman Catholic church, family planning programs continue to be viable. In Costa Rica, sterilization has not been practiced as a family planning method officially, but was performed by the national social service system as well as private providers when it was medically indicated. Since 1982, sterilization has been illegal in Costa Rica. Comparing the 2 countries, the Colombian sterilization rate rose from about 17/1000 ever married women in 1970 to 19.8 in 1980. The rate for Costa Rica rose to 21.6 in 1976, after which there was an attempt to restrict the practice. The effects of the restriction had become negligible by 1980. Women married for 19-20 years were the group with the highest % of sterilizations in both countries. Women with 6 or more live children in Costa Rica, and 4 in Colombia, women 30-39 in Colombia and 35-44 in Costa Rica, women having previously used contraceptives and women in urban areas were more likely sterilized. It is projected that a high potential demand for sterilization exists in Colombia, but the demand in Costa Rica is considerably less. The acceptor characteristics (e.g. years married, age) are quite similar for the 2 countries. Generally speaking, fertility is higher among sterilized women in both countries.