What are Maternity Scrubs?

Maternity scrubs are scrubs which are designed to accommodate the changing body of a pregnant woman. Scrubs are garments designed to be worn in the sterile environment of the surgical theater, and also in other hospital environments; the term “scrubs” is a reference to the fact that scrubs are worn by people who have “scrubbed in” for a surgery. Scrubs are commonly worn by doctors and nurses in a variety of hospital settings because they are comfortable, easy to clean, and easy to use as uniforms.

Doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff do get pregnant now and then, and many of them like to work through their pregnancies. Maternity scrubs are designed to accommodate the desire to work through a pregnancy in a hospital setting while wearing comfortable clothing. In addition to being worn by medical personnel, maternity scrubs are also worn by patients who are expecting babies, and some pregnant women enjoy maternity scrubs for home wear, for comfort reasons.

Basic scrubs are already fairly flexible garments, but maternity scrubs have a few added tricks. The scrub pants have an expandable elastic panel which accommodates the swelling belly associated with pregnancy, and the top has extra fabric in front so that it will not feel tight and constricting. Usually, the back of the garment is cut long so that it drapes evenly when worn on a pregnant body.

Maternity scrubs keep doctors and nurses looking professional while they work, and they ensure comfort. These garments can be customized to adhere to hospital uniform codes, as in hospitals where people from different departments wear different-colored scrubs so that they can be easily identified. Many scrub manufacturers also provide support garments which are designed to help bear the weight of a pregnant belly, since medical personnel tend to spend a lot of time on their feet.

As with regular maternity clothes, it can be a good idea to try maternity scrubs on to make sure that they are a good fit. While trying scrubs on, the wearer should check to make sure that the elastic band is snug, but not tight, and to see that the scrub top hangs comfortably. Leaning over or reaching the arms to mimic common hospital tasks is also a good idea.

Maternity scrubs are not limited to pants and tops. Scrub jackets designed for cold operating rooms are also available for pregnant women, as are lab coats customized with some extra room.