Livor mortis typically becomes fixed at which time after death?

• A. 1-2 hours
• B. 8-12 hours
• C. 24-36 hours
• D. 48-72 hours

Answer: (B)

Lividity is the pooling of blood in the dependent parts of the body after death due to gravity. It starts to appear relatively soon, but the color can still be displaced if you press or move the body early on. By about 8–12 hours after death, the pooling becomes fixed—the discoloration cannot be wiped away or relocated because the blood cells have settled into the tissues and the vessels have changed enough to hold the pattern in place. Temperature and how the body was positioned can speed up or slow down this fixation, but 8–12 hours is the typical window. If a body is moved after this period, the lividity pattern remains in the new dependent areas, indicating fixation.