can you get pregnant a week before your period is due?

I'm 21 & healthy besides asthma. on Christmas I had sex, a week later on the first I had my period. on the 15 of Jan. I spotted an extremely light pink, that was only there when I wiped. Now I am currently 11 days late. I simply want to know is it possible to get preg just a week before your period ? If it helps I have kind of irregular periods.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
If there is a history of any unprotected intercourse after 1st January when you had your periods, then pregnancy can occur. Pregnancy occurs only during the time of ovulation. Ovulation is the release of a single, mature egg from a follicle that developed in the ovary. It usually occurs regularly, around day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle. Hence pregnancy can occur.
To confirm the status of pregnancy, I suggest you to test for pregnancy by a highly sensitive pregnancy test 10 days post ovulation with a sensitive ( 20 - 25 mIU ) pregnancy test. Also then I would suggest you to get your serum HCG levels estimated since this is more specific than urine for pregnancy tests. If it comes negative then other causes of delayed periods should be explored.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.