Fifty women of ASA grade 1 or 2 scheduled to undergo minor gynaecological procedures were allocated randomly to two groups. Group A received fentanyl 100 micrograms intravenously before induction; group B received no sedative or analgesic drugs. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol intravenously and maintained using 67% nitrous oxide in oxygen with incremental doses of propofol. Induction time and dose were significantly less and mean arterial pressure decreased significantly lower in Group A. These differences were, however, small and the ranges of values were large. The incidence of side effects and subjective assessment of quality of anaesthesia were similar in both groups. Fentanyl did not confer any practical advantage when used with propofol in the techniques described above.