One aspect of the invention is concerned with a method of
hormone replacement therapy, which method comprises administering to a person in need of such a therapy an effective amount of an estrogenic component selected from the group consisting of: substances represented by the formulain which formula R1, R2, R3, R4 independently are a
hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or an alokxy group with 1-5 carbon atoms; each of R5, R6, R7 is a hydroxyl group; and no more than 3 of R1, R2, R3, R4 are
hydrogen atoms; precursors capable of liberating a substance according to the aforementioned formula when used in the
present method, and mixtures thereof; said composition containing virtually no
progestogen or anti-
progestin.Another aspect of the invention relates to a
drug delivery system for enteral or parenteral administration that contains at least 1 μg of the aforementioned estrogenic component and virtually no
progestogen or anti-
progestin.