Low Dose Oral Estriol Treatment in Elderly Women with Urogenital Infections

Summary Forty‐one female geriatric in‐patients with recurrent urogenital infections took part in a cross‐over intervention study with oral estriol as an alternative to antibiotics. After one month of treatment with a dosage of 3 mg/day the vaginal flora of all patients showed a dominance of Lactobacilli, whereas without estriol treatment the flora was of a fecal type in two‐third of the cases. In all women the atrophic vaginal mucosa became restored and well vascularised. Antibiotics were given 16 times more often during the period without estriol treatment. It is concluded that treatment with estriol • restores the normal premenopausal vaginal flora and mucosa • prevents urogenital infections and disorders in postmenopausal women.