The opposite of post mortem is antemortem.
Understanding Antemortem and Post Mortem
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Post mortem literally translates to "after death." It refers to events, injuries, or processes that occur after someone has died. The provided reference highlights that postmortem bone damage shows no sign of healing, indicating its occurrence at or near the time of death.
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Antemortem, conversely, means "before death." It describes events, injuries, or conditions that happen before death. The reference contrasts this with postmortem, noting that antemortem bone damage exhibits evidence of healing.
This distinction is crucial in forensic science and pathology for determining the cause and timing of death. Identifying whether an injury is antemortem or postmortem helps investigators reconstruct the events leading up to a person's death.
Examples:
- Antemortem: A healed fracture is an antemortem injury.
- Post mortem: A sharp force injury inflicted immediately before death, leaving no time for healing, is a postmortem injury.
