An early pregnancy test is basically done to determine whether a woman is pregnant or not.
And that can be determined in many different ways.
Starting with a simple Home Testing Kit, for which a wide variety and selection of different pregnancy test kits are available in the market today.
A trip to the neighborhood drug store would indeed determine that.
The efficacy of a Home Testing kit is subject to certain conditions, and one has to follow the instructions in the manual very carefully for accurate results.
Pregnancy is determined by the substantial increase of the HCG or Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone in the blood and urine.
Ovulation normally takes place between the 10th to the 18th day in a normal menstrual cycle of 28-32 days.
If fertilization has taken place, and a woman has missed her period even after 32 days, then she should determine whether she is pregnant or not and she may resort to the fastest and easiest, simple over-the-counter Home Pregnancy Test Kits to confirm the same.
The Steps Involved In Using Home Pregnancy Kits:

The test can be done anytime, but the best time to do the test would be early in the morning because the first morning urine contains the highest concentration of the HCG hormone and thus Pregnancy detection is a lot more accurate.

Use a clean, unused, disposable plastic cup to collect the urine and then place the dipstick in the urine with the Result Windows facing away from you.

The result is generally determined within 2-3 minutes of having placed the dipstick in the urine.

The Dipstick usually contains two windows, a Circular Test Window and a Triangular Control Window.

For a positive result, two purple color bands (either both color bands are dark or one is dark and the other is light but it is still positive) should appear in both the windows.
If it is a negative result, there will be only one purple color band in the Triangular Control Window.
If it is an invalid result, there will be no purple color band in the Triangular Control Window, which could be because the test was performed incorrectly, or the Dipstick was beyond the two-year expiration date or it was contaminated.
Different Methods/Ways To Determine Pregnancy

After the initial determination of pregnancy with the home pregnancy kit, a visit to the Doctor is mandatory.
Even if one is not able to determine Pregnancy, the Primary Care Physician or a Gynecologist can perform some simple blood and urine tests to determine the same.

Once the pregnancy has progressed past the first 6-8 weeks then an Ultrasound can be performed to determine the EDD, (Expected Date of Delivery) viability and growth of the fetus in the womb.
Whatever be the means or method, be it the early pregnancy test kits, or a blood/urine test, a complete and detailed check-up and regular follow-ups is necessary for delivering a healthy child.
It is the wholesome responsibility of the mother to do the same, as it is not a very simple and easy process.
These tests will definitely help in quelling any fears or apprehensions one has and will eventually help in delivering a normal and healthy child.