Missed period, brown spotting and two negative hpts

Hi.

Though my periods have been irregular from 2 years on, these last months my cycle had been of 30 days, more or less. Last period was on November 28th, and I'm not sure whether I had sex with someone on December 17th. I'm a week and a few days late, took two hpt and both said negative--one on January 5 in the afternoon and another one next day with morning urine. I've got brown spotting that started before my period was due and still is here. I've been trully worried about whether I'm pregnant or not so I don't know if it could also stop my period coming.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
The only way to confirm is by doing blood HCG levels 48 hours apart. Rising levels would indicate pregnancy. If you are pregnant, then consult a gynecologist to rule out hormonal imbalance, as that may prevent the pregnancy from going forward. If you are not pregnant, and want to conceive, consult a gynecologist to rule out various causes of irregular periods. Treating these causes will increase your chances of pregnancy.
High level of stress, dramatic changes in your life style, high cholesterol, hormonal imbalance as seen in thyroid problems and PCOS, chain smoking, may be some of the common causes of your irregular periods. Cushing’s disease and disorders of adrenal gland, tumors of the ovaries and adrenals, insulin resistance and obesity are some of the other factors. Prolonged use of oral contraceptive pills is another cause. Other important local causes of irregular periods are PCOS and fibroid uterus. PCOS causes cysts to form on the ovaries, interfering with regular ovulation. Diagnosis is by blood tests like blood insulin levels, serum testosterone and androgen levels and by ultrasound. I sincerely advice you to consult a gynecologist and get it evaluated. Take care!