A pregnancy test kit is a home-based device that detects pregnancy by measuring the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine, typically with high accuracy. To use one, you collect a urine sample and apply it to the test kit, which can be a strip or a midstream stick. You should take the test on the first day of a missed period or one week after, and wait for the result to appear, usually within a few minutes.