Coffin birth

A coffin birth is an apparent birth that can occur after death and when a pregnant corpse and its unborn child begin to rot . The term comes from forensic medicine before the 20th century.

After death, rigor mortis occurs first , which also leads to muscle contractions of the uterus . In the further course of the process, the coffin typically does not start to decompose due to the lack of oxygen , but rather rot , which produces fouling gases that make the maternal corpse puffy. In particular, methane , ammonia , nitrogen and hydrogen sulfide are released.

However, the term is also used for other finding situations than in the coffin, which lead to rot. Due to the considerable pressure build-up inside the corpse, the fetus can be forced out through the birth canal .

literature

• Norbert Boss (edit.): Roche Lexicon Medicine . 2nd Edition. Urban & Fischer Verlag, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-541-11212-3 (the entry is missing in the 5th edition).
• Michael Rosentreter, Dominik Groß , Stephanie Kaiser (eds.): Dying processes - approaches to death. Volume 9, Kassel University Press, Kassel 2010, ISBN 978-3-89958-960-3 , p. 42.