Estrogen therapy for gonadal dysgenesis: a rational approach.

The administration of estrogens for gonadal dysgenesis is sometimes associated with the development of endometrial neoplasms. An approach which minimizes the inadvertent side effects while still providing the desired therapeutic effects may be to imitate the hormonal milieu of the normal menstruating woman. Oral administration of estradiol will not necessarily accomplish this, because of the intestinal conversion of estradiol to estrone. That problem can be overcome by the vaginal administration of estrogens.