Suppression of growth in excessively tall girls.

Abstract

Until recently, there has been little or no documentation in medical literature of therapeutic attempts to check the excessive height of growing girls. In 1956, Goldziehr 1 reported a definite inhibition of skeletal growth by prepuberal estrogen administration in a series of 14 girls. Excessive height in girls is not nearly as embarrassing as it was a number of years ago, inasmuch as tall girls have achieved some prestige in the entertainment world, in modeling, and in beauty contests. Nevertheless, some tall young girls are self-conscious about their height because of the great difference between them and their classmates and friends. These girls will often slump or stoop in an attempt to appear less conspicuous. This report is concerned with two such girls whose skeletal growth was inhibited by use of estrogens. By bringing this procedure to the attention of physicians, it is hoped that girls whose height is embarrassing