EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS DAILY ADMINISTRATION OF 0.03 mg OF d-NORGESTREL ON THE PLASMA LEVELS OF PROGESTERONE AND THE URINARY EXCRETION OF OESTROGENS

Abstract

Daily determinations of the plasma level of progesterone and the urinary excretion of oestrogens were performed in five subjects during one control cycle followed by three months of treatment with 0.03 mg of d-norgestrel. The control cycles were ovulatory according to the parameters investigated, although one of the women showed a monophasic basal body temperature. During treatment there was a tendency to a decrease of the oestrogen excretion. Three of the women showed one or several cycles with low progesterone levels. It is believed that this was due to a defective function of the corpus luteum. It seems that the effect of the present drug on the corpus luteum activity was about equal to that of chlormadinone acetate 0.5 mg daily, while 0.3 and 0.5 mg of norethindrone depressed the function more markedly.