TRANSVAGINAL SONOGRAPHY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN TREATED WITH LOW-DOSEESTROGENS LOCALLY ADMINISTERED

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy o f low-dose estrogens, administered locally, in postmenopausal women wi th symptoms and signs of atrophic vaginitis. Transvaginal ultrasonogra phy was performed for the evaluation of endometrial or ovarian abnorma lities. Materials and methods: Fifty-six healthy postmenopausal women with symptoms of atrophic vaginitis due to estrogen deficiency were ex amined with transvaginal ultrasound. The endometrial thickness, the ut erus and the ovaries were measured before and after 6 months of treatm ent with low-dose estrogens. Results: The mean endometrial thickness, before and after treatment, was 3.1 +/- 0.8 mn and 3.1 +/- 1.2 mm, res pectively. The mean ovarian volume before treatment was 4.5 mi and the re was no difference after treatment. There were no changes in uterine thickness during the treatment period. Conclusions: Our study, using transvaginal ultrasonography, has shown that low-dose estrogens, admin istered locally, give no sign of endometrial proliferation, measured a s endometrial thickness, and do not alter the ovarian volume in postme nopausal volume.