American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Practice Exam

When does bloating of a body generally occur during decomposition?

1. Within 24 hours

2. 60-72 hours

3. 1-2 days

4. Weeks to months

The correct answer is: 60-72 hours

Bloating of a body during decomposition typically occurs within the timeframe of 60 to 72 hours after death. This process is primarily due to the accumulation of gases produced by bacterial activity as they break down tissues in the absence of oxygen. In the initial stages of decomposition, which span the first 24 to 48 hours, the body may undergo some preliminary changes such as algor mortis (cooling of the body), rigor mortis (stiffening of muscles), and livor mortis (pooling of blood). However, the significant bloating caused by gas production becomes more pronounced after this initial period, usually around the third day. The timeframe of 1-2 days may seem plausible, but it is generally too early for noticeable bloating to occur. The later choices, referring to weeks or months, pertain to later stages of decomposition, where bloating may be followed by other processes but are past the point where significant initial bloating has occurred. Understanding these timelines is crucial for investigators in establishing post-mortem intervals during death investigations.