Induction of uterine bleeding in amenorrhea with a single injection of precipitates of estrone and progesterone.

HITHERTO it has generally been thought that to induce bleeding, the uterine mucosa had first to be stimulated to proliferation by estrogenic hormone and that the secretory phase had subsequently to be induced by progesterone. The doses required for this effect were from 30 to 40 mg. of estradiol benzoate and from 25 to 40 mg. of progesterone. This course of treatment lasted for twenty-four days, and required eight injections of 5 mg. each of estradiol benzoate over a period of twenty days followed by daily injections of 5 mg. of progesterone for five days. In many cases bleeding set in a few days after the injections had been discontinued. With this form of therapy the patient received thirteen injections in one month. We think that such a course should be avoided for the following reasons: 1) The prolonged treatment, which makes the patient dependent on the physician for a long period, intensifies the inferiority complex from which the amenorrheic woman already suffers. 2) The 40 mg. of estradiol benzoat...