7-Oxa steroids which may be substituted in the 3-position with a hydroxy or oxo group or in the 2-position with a hydroxymethylene group or in the 2- and 3-positions with a substituent that forms a 5-membered heterocyclic ring, useful as antigonadotropic agents and a method of preparing these 7-oxa steroids from 3-hydroxy .DELTA..sup.5 -steroids including intermediates in this process.