Navigating Hospital Visits: What is worn under a hospital gown?

September 29, 2025 •

5 min read

According to studies, preoperative anxiety is a concern for a significant number of patients, with worries about modesty sometimes adding to the stress. Understanding what is worn under a hospital gown for various medical procedures is key to preparing mentally and physically for your hospital visit.

Quick Summary

The attire worn beneath a hospital gown varies based on the medical procedure. While underwear is often permitted for routine exams or standard hospital stays, all clothing, including undergarments, is typically removed for surgeries and some imaging to ensure patient safety, sanitation, and access.

Key Points

Check with Staff: The attire worn under a hospital gown depends heavily on the procedure, so always confirm with a nurse or doctor beforehand to avoid uncertainty.
Expect to Undress for Surgery: For most surgeries, all clothing, including underwear and bras, must be removed to maintain a sterile environment, prevent infection, and ensure emergency access.
Avoid Metal for MRIs: An MRI requires removing all metal, so be prepared to change into a metal-free gown and wear only 100% cotton, non-metallic underwear if permitted.
Underwear is Often Permitted for Exams: For routine medical exams and non-surgical hospital stays, patients can typically keep their underwear and non-underwire bras on for comfort and modesty.
Communicate Your Needs: If concerned about modesty, inform hospital staff. They can often provide extra blankets or gowns and help ensure your privacy is respected throughout your visit.
Pack for Comfort: For overnight stays, consider bringing personal, loose-fitting clothes, a robe, and non-slip socks to enhance your comfort level.
Understand the 'Why': Hospital gowns are designed for quick access and infection control. Knowing the medical necessity behind the requirements can help reduce patient anxiety and focus on the recovery process.

The Purpose Behind the Hospital Gown

While often viewed as an awkward and undignified garment, the hospital gown serves several critical medical purposes. Its design facilitates quick and complete access to the patient's body for medical staff, which is essential for examinations, monitoring, and emergency interventions like defibrillation. In addition, gowns are a vital component of infection control, as they are single-use or thoroughly disinfected between patients, reducing the risk of contamination. Wearing a gown also protects a patient's personal clothes from getting stained or soiled during procedures, blood draws, or antiseptic applications.

What to Wear for Common Procedures and Stays

What you can wear under your hospital gown is highly dependent on the medical situation. Hospital staff will provide clear instructions on what is necessary for your specific circumstances. Patients are encouraged to ask questions if they are uncertain.

Routine Medical Exams and Inpatient Stays

For many non-invasive medical exams or extended stays in a hospital room, patients are generally allowed to wear their own underwear and a bra. The key factors are comfort, modesty, and access. For general check-ups, where a full examination is not necessary, some physicians may only require partial undressing. Inpatient stays also allow for more personal items, as long as they don't interfere with care. A comfortable, loose-fitting cotton bra without underwire can often be worn, but it's always best to check with a nurse. In these situations, the gown serves primarily to provide access for assessments like listening to heart and lung sounds.

Imaging Procedures (MRI)

For a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, the most important consideration is metal. The powerful magnets in an MRI machine can cause serious injury or distort the imaging if any metal is present on the body. This means all metallic items must be removed, including jewelry, watches, hairpins, and certain clothing. Patients are typically given a metal-free hospital gown and may be allowed to wear 100% cotton underwear as long as it contains no metallic threads or fasteners. When in doubt, it is always safest to change into the hospital-provided, metal-free attire.

Gastrointestinal Procedures (Colonoscopy)

For procedures like a colonoscopy, which involves access to the lower body, policies on undergarments can vary by facility. Some centers provide specialized disposable shorts that feature an opening in the back for the procedure, helping to preserve patient dignity while allowing access. Other facilities may require complete removal of underwear, especially during the prep phase. You should discuss your concerns about modesty with the staff beforehand and confirm the facility's policy.

Special Considerations for Surgery

Surgery typically has the strictest requirements for patient attire. For the vast majority of operations under general anesthesia, patients will be asked to remove all their personal clothing, including underwear and bras. This is a standard procedure for several reasons:

Sterile Field: Removing personal items helps maintain a sterile environment, which is crucial for preventing surgical site infections. Patients are often required to use special antiseptic wipes to cleanse their body before changing into a clean gown.
Electrocautery: Many surgical procedures use electrocautery, a device that uses an electrical current to cut tissue and stop bleeding. Any metal objects on the body, such as underwire bras or jewelry, could conduct this current and cause a burn.
Emergency Access: In the rare case of an emergency, medical staff needs immediate access to a patient's entire body to perform resuscitation or other life-saving measures without obstruction.
Pre-op Prep: The surgical site is often cleaned with solutions that can stain personal clothing.
Catheterization: For longer surgeries, a urinary catheter may be inserted, which is easier and safer without underwear.

Comparison of Attire Requirements by Procedure


Medical Procedure	Underwear Allowed?	Bra Allowed?	Other Common Attire Considerations
General Exam	Generally yes, if non-invasive	Yes, typically if non-wired	Loose, breathable clothing is best for arrival and departure.
Overnight Stay	Yes, personal underwear is usually fine	Yes, for comfort	Personal pajamas, robe, and non-slip socks are recommended.
Surgery	No, must be removed	No, must be removed (potential metal)	All personal items, including jewelry and contacts, must be removed. Hospital socks are often provided.
MRI Scan	Yes, if 100% metal-free cotton	No, due to potential underwire	All metal, including jewelry and piercings, must be removed.
Colonoscopy	May vary, some facilities use special shorts	Yes, if not involving the procedure area	Follow facility instructions precisely. Often disposable shorts are provided.

Maintaining Your Comfort and Dignity

While a hospital visit can be an uncomfortable experience, there are several ways to improve your comfort and maintain your sense of privacy.

Communicate with Staff: Don't hesitate to voice your concerns about modesty to nurses and doctors. They are trained to handle these issues with professionalism and respect. For example, you can request extra blankets for additional coverage or ask to remain covered until the moment a procedure begins.
Bring Comfort Items: For inpatient stays or recovery, bringing your own warm, non-slip socks, a soft robe, or a personal pillow can make a big difference in your comfort level.
Ask for Disposable Underwear: Some facilities offer disposable underwear, particularly for procedures involving the lower body or in preparation for surgery.
Wear a Non-Restrictive Bra: If permitted, a soft, non-underwire sports bra or bralette made of breathable cotton is often a comfortable option. For certain post-operative situations, such as heart surgery, a specialized front-fastening surgical bra may be provided for support and healing.
Prepare for the Procedure: Understanding what your specific procedure entails can help you feel more in control. Asking questions beforehand will clarify what clothing is necessary and why, allowing you to prepare mentally and physically.

Evolving Standards for Patient Privacy

In recent years, the healthcare industry has seen a growing emphasis on patient-centered care and respecting individual dignity, which includes re-evaluating the traditional hospital gown. Some facilities are now offering alternative gown designs that provide better coverage or using specialized garments that offer modesty for specific procedures. This shift is in response to patient feedback and aims to alleviate anxiety and vulnerability associated with wearing standard gowns. Patient advocacy groups also work to challenge outdated policies regarding undergarment removal, particularly for non-genital related procedures. It's an important conversation for healthcare providers and patients to have together. For more information on patient modesty and advocacy, resources like the Medical Patient Modesty site offer valuable insights and information on patient rights.

Conclusion

What you are allowed to wear under a hospital gown depends entirely on the type of procedure you are undergoing. While modesty is a valid concern, patient safety and maintaining a sterile environment are the top priorities for medical professionals, which sometimes necessitates removing all undergarments. For routine exams and inpatient stays, underwear is often permitted. For surgeries and certain imaging like MRIs, removing all undergarments is typically required. The best practice is always to communicate openly with hospital staff, ask what is expected for your specific case, and take advantage of any comfort-enhancing items permitted by the hospital. By being informed, patients can feel more secure and prepared for their medical experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the procedure. For most exams or inpatient stays, a comfortable, metal-free bra (no underwire) is generally acceptable. However, for surgery or an MRI, all bras must be removed due to the risk of metal interference or infection.

This is standard procedure to prevent surgical site infections by maintaining a sterile environment. It also allows for unimpeded access in case of an emergency, prevents burns from surgical equipment like electrocautery, and protects personal clothing from antiseptic solutions.

For an extended inpatient stay, you can often wear your own comfortable, loose-fitting clothes, including pajamas. However, the hospital staff may request you change into a gown for specific examinations or procedures.

You must wear metal-free clothing for an MRI. Most facilities provide a cotton gown. If you wear underwear, it must be 100% cotton with no metallic threads, clasps, or other parts.

Some facilities offer disposable underwear, particularly for certain procedures like colonoscopies or as part of the pre-surgery process. You should ask the staff what to expect.

You can request extra blankets or ask for a different gown style if available. It is also important to communicate your concerns to the medical staff, who are trained to respect patient modesty and will accommodate you within the scope of safety.

For a colonoscopy, facility policies differ, but you will wear a gown. Some centers provide special disposable shorts with a flap for access, while others may require complete removal of underwear.