The metabolism of naturally occurring oestrogens in humans is outlined and compared with that in other species and with the metabolism of synthetic oestrogens. There is a close similarity in humans between the metabolism of the naturally occurring oestrogens and that of ethynyl-oestradiol with the exception that the latter is less extensively metabolised than the former. With the exception of the baboon, the metabolism of oestrone and oestradiol appears to differ significantly in other species from that of the human. Our knowledge of the metabolism of oestrone and oestradiol and the synthetic oestrogens in the baboon is still meagre and much more information is required before one can ascertain to what extent metabolism in this species can serve as a model for that in humans. Little information is available concerning the metabolism of synthetic progestogens in species other than man and rabbits. There are many similarities between these two species both in the metabolism of progesterone and of synthetic progestogens related both to 19-nortestosterone and to 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. Insufficient information is available to know how far these similarities extend. Little is known about the in vitro metabolism of either the synthetic oestrogens or synthetic progestogens. Such information as is available does not suggest that in vitro metabolic studies, with their well-known limitations, are likely to be helpful.