No abstract

Administration of 0.5–1.0 mg oestradiol benzoate produces hardly any excretion of oestradiol-17β or oestrone in the urine in normal healthy newborns. In newborns with congenital dislocation of the hip, however, it produces an increased excretion of these oestrogens. This provides further support for the assumption that congenital dislocation of the hip is caused by an inborn and probably inherited error of the metabolism of oestrogens.

The progestational effect of 17α-ethynyl-17β-hydroxy-oestr-4-ene, ethinyl-oestrenol, per os has been studied in 10 cases of amenorrhoea and one case of oligomenorrhoea. Ethinyl-oestradiol was given for priming in the cases of amenorrhoea. Withdrawal bleeding occurred within 1–4 days in all of the 34 cycles studied. In all the cases of amenorrhoea the endometrium showed the characteristics of the secretory phase after a total dose of 35 mg per cycle. The appearance of the endometrium during the secretory phase was normal in all respects. In the patient with oligomenorrhoea the secretory phase was doubtful. The basal body temperature was biphasic in 24 of the cycles (8 cases) and doubtful though probably biphasic in a further 7 (2 cases). No side effects were observed. Ethinyl-oestrenol may thus be regarded as an effective oral progestational agent.