What does livor mortis refer to?

Livor mortis is the term used to describe the process of blood pooling in the lower parts of the body after death. This occurs due to gravity, as the circulation ceases and the blood settles in the tissues, leading to a purplish-red discoloration of the skin. This phenomenon begins within a few hours after death and can help forensic experts estimate the time of death, as well as establish the position of the body at the time of death. Understanding livor mortis is crucial in forensic science and can provide valuable information during investigations.

The other options do not effectively describe livor mortis. Decomposition of the body refers to the breakdown of tissues that occurs well after blood pooling has taken place, while bacterial growth relates to changes that occur as bacteria proliferate in the body post-mortem. Muscle stiffening, known as rigor mortis, is another post-mortem change that results from biochemical processes within muscle tissue after death. Each of these terms describes different aspects of the post-mortem process, making blood pooling distinctly relevant to livor mortis.