The most widely available oral contraceptives today are and Norlutin, manufactured respectively by G.D. Searle and Davis. The compounds closely resemble progesterone, a female hormone. Progesterone is secreted each month by the bearing follicles after ovulation has occurred. It passes through blood stream so as to effect the pituitary gland which in turn the production of F.S.H.--the so-called "follicle-stimulating Without F.S.H. the immature egg follicles cease growing. If caption occurs, the secretion of progesterone continues through out pregnancy.

Since the natural secretion of progesterone inhibits egg during part of the monthly cycle and during pregnancy searchers thought that steady doses of it might completely ovulation. A few years ago Dr. John Rock, clinical professor of Gynecology and Dr. Gregory Pincus of the Worcester for Experimental Biology tested the hypothesis. Ovulation sharply reduced but even with massive doses it continued per cent of the time. The problem attracted the interest of pharmaceutical houses, though, and these firms eventually the more effective synthetic compounds.

Drs. Rock and Pincus report "practically 100 per cent contraception" on the basis of four field trials involving 1200 in Puerto Rico and Haiti. Other investigators were at first what less successful, but with improved techniques, achieved perfect reliability. At present, for optimal results, the must be taken once a day, starting on the day after the menstruation and continuing for 20 days. A menstrual-like gins a few days after the last pill is taken. Five days later the should be resumed. Ironically, when one stops taking the greater than normal fertility sometimes results. Thus, the may enable sub-fertile women to have children.

In the Pincus-Rock study 18 per cent of the women comp of unpleasant side effects. Since the symptoms almost always appeared when the patient became accustomed to the pills, believed that most of the problems were psychological. reactions were not at all consistent. About 30 per cent of the reported a decline in Libido, but about the same number increase. Some gained weight and some lost. But, regardless complaints, 39 per cent of the women felt that their general had improved; only 10 per cent felt worse.

One particularly promising property of the oral their apparent anti-carcinogenic character. Women in the Rico study, according to Dr. Rock, had a much smaller breast and cervical cancer that one would normally expect.

The Roman Catholic Church opposes both physical and the ovulation-inhibiting hormones. Its approved "rhythm" technique, is theoretically very effective. Since usually occurs midway between menstrual periods, since the has' a life of only 12 hours, and since sperm live only 60 should be possible to avoid pregnancy by refraining from course for 72 hours a month. Unfortunately, the cycle is regular: ovulation is possible on almost any day after But a variation of the anti-ovulant hormones may properties when given in small doses. Such a probably be morally acceptable to Catholics, for Pope Plus in 1951 that "One may even hope that science will succeed viding this licit [rhythm] method with a sufficiently secure

At present oral contraceptives require a prescription. They retailed at 55 cents a pill, but the price is expected steadily. All contraceptives are illegal in Massachusetts, reasons of health."