What Is Embalming And Is It Necessary?

Embalming is a process used to slow the natural decomposition of a person after death. It involves treating the body with preservative and disinfecting chemicals and can also help maintain the appearance of the person for viewing.

Embalming has a very long history. The ancient Egyptians developed elaborate methods of preserving bodies, although modern embalming is very different from Egyptian mummification. Over the centuries, the methods used to care for the dead have changed considerably, and modern embalming is a highly developed technical process.

But an important question is often overlooked:

Is embalming actually necessary?

In New Zealand, there is no general legal requirement to embalm someone who has died. The New Zealand Government's End of Life Service specifically says that people have the choice to be embalmed or not, and that either embalming or chilling can allow a funeral to take place later rather than immediately.

What does modern embalming involve?

Full modern embalming generally involves two main processes.

The first is arterial embalming. An embalming solution is introduced into the body's arterial system while blood and other fluids are displaced and drained from the body. An incision is generally made to access a suitable artery and vein, often in the neck or groin. The embalming fluid is distributed through the vascular system under controlled pressure.

The second part is cavity embalming. A hollow instrument called a trocar is used to remove gases and fluids from the body's cavities and then introduce preservative fluid. This helps control decomposition within the internal organs and body cavities.

The process is invasive and requires specialist knowledge and equipment. Full embalming can take several hours and consequently can be a significant cost.

It is worth understanding, however, that embalming does not stop decomposition permanently. It slows the natural processes that occur after death and can maintain the condition and appearance of the body for a period of time. How effective it is, and for how long, depends on the individual circumstances.

What are we actually trying to achieve?

This is probably the most important question to ask before agreeing to embalming.

Are you trying to:

• have the coffin open for viewing?

• keep the person at home for several days?

• delay the funeral for a week or two?

• transport the person a considerable distance?

• return the person to another country?

• provide a particular appearance for the funeral?

• allow family and friends time to spend with the person who has died?

The answer to these questions can make a considerable difference to what is actually required.

Sometimes full embalming may be the most practical option. In other circumstances, refrigeration or other forms of cooling may provide a satisfactory alternative.

Embalming and viewing are not the same thing

It is easy to assume that an open coffin automatically means that the person must be embalmed. This is not the case.

The New Zealand Government describes funeral directors as providing either embalming or "cool care" for the body. It also describes natural cool care as keeping the body cool, generally using a chiller or ice packs.

A person can therefore sometimes be cared for without embalming and still be available for family and friends to spend time with them or, where appropriate, view them.

The suitability of cooling depends on the circumstances, including the condition of the body, the temperature, the length of time involved and the arrangements for the funeral.

Cooling as an alternative

Keeping a body sufficiently cool slows the natural processes that occur after death and can provide a practical alternative to embalming in many circumstances.

There are several ways this can be done, depending on what is available locally and the circumstances involved. These include:

• Manaaki Mats – specialised cooling mats which use cold packs to help keep the body cool. They can be particularly useful when someone is being cared for at home.
• Ice packs or frozen water bottles – a simple option which can be used where specialist equipment is not available, although they need to be monitored and replaced as necessary.
• Refrigerated cooling plates or cooling platforms – electrically powered units which sit underneath the body, coffin or casket and provide continuous cooling. These can be particularly useful when a family wants to keep someone at home, on a marae or in another family setting.

The New Zealand Government recognises natural cool care, generally using a chiller or ice packs, as an alternative to embalming.

These options are not necessarily available everywhere in New Zealand. Specialist cooling plates and Manaaki Mats are available in some areas through funeral providers, community organisations and after-death-care groups, but availability can vary considerably from one region to another. It is therefore worth finding out what is available locally before it is needed.

If you are considering caring for someone at home, an end-of-life doula or someone experienced in family-led after-death care can be a useful source of practical information. They may be able to explain the options available locally and help a family work out what equipment and assistance may be needed.

Cooling a body requires some planning. The environment needs to remain sufficiently cool, cooling materials need to be monitored and replaced as necessary, and precautions need to be taken to protect the surrounding area from water as ice melts.

Not every situation is the same

There is no single method of caring for every body after death.

The condition of the body, the cause and circumstances of death, the time until the funeral, the temperature, previous medical treatment and the presence of trauma or leakage can all affect what is practical.

In some circumstances embalming may provide a more predictable result. In others, cooling may be all that is required.

This is why it is worth discussing the actual circumstances with someone who understands after-death care rather than simply assuming that embalming is necessary.

When is embalming particularly useful?

There are circumstances where embalming can be a very useful option.

One is when a body needs to be transported internationally. If someone who has died in New Zealand is to be returned overseas, the New Zealand Government advises that a New Zealand funeral director should be involved and work with the funeral director in the country to which the person is being returned. The requirements for international transportation can vary, so the requirements of the airline and destination country need to be checked.

Embalming may also be useful where a body needs to be preserved for an extended period or where the particular condition of the body makes cooling alone less suitable.

It is better, however, to say that embalming may be required or appropriate in these situations rather than assuming that it is always legally required.

Unexpected deaths are different

An expected natural death and an unexpected death can involve quite different processes.

When someone dies at home and the death is expected, the family can generally contact the person's doctor or appropriate health professional so that the cause of death can be confirmed.

If the death is unexpected, or the cause is not obvious or may be unnatural, the death may need to be referred to the coroner. The New Zealand Government advises that, in an unexpected death, 111 should be called and police and ambulance services contacted. The coroner may need to establish the person's identity, how they died and what caused the death, and may require a post-mortem examination.

In these circumstances the family may not immediately be able to take responsibility for the body or begin their own after-death care. The body may need to remain under the control of the authorities until the appropriate processes have been completed.

This is quite different from an expected natural death where the family may be able to remain with the person and make decisions about their care relatively quickly.

Embalming became common in New Zealand relatively recently

It is sometimes assumed that embalming has always been a normal part of New Zealand funerals.

Historically, this was not the case.

In the nineteenth century, most undertakers were also carpenters who made coffins and transported the dead, while families and churches organised much of the funeral process. Family members traditionally carried out much of the practical care of the body.

According to Te Ara (The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, a New Zealand Government-supported online encyclopaedia), embalming was rare in New Zealand until the 1950s. Its use then increased substantially, reaching about 70 percent of bodies by the late 1970s and almost 90 percent in the early 21st century. Te Ara also notes that newer cooling techniques have allowed some families to keep a body at home or on a marae for a week or so without embalming.

This history is worth remembering because the modern funeral industry has not always operated in the way it does today. Family involvement in caring for the dead is not a new or unusual idea; in many respects it is a return to practices that were once much more commonplace.

You don't have to use a funeral director for everything

New Zealand's current End of Life Service makes this quite clear: you do not have to use a funeral director if you do not want to. Families can organise a funeral themselves, although doing so comes with significant responsibilities, including the legal paperwork, transport, keeping the body cool and arranging the burial or cremation.

Equally, you don't have to choose between doing absolutely everything yourself and handing everything over to a funeral director.

You can use a funeral director for some parts and do other things yourself.

For example, a family might use a funeral director for transport and paperwork but care for the person at home. Another family might arrange the body care themselves but employ someone to handle the funeral or cremation arrangements.

End-of-life doulas can also be useful where a family wants to take a more hands-on approach but would appreciate some practical guidance. They can help families understand their options and, depending on the individual doula, provide support before and after death.

The important thing is that there are choices.

What about partial or limited embalming?

Full arterial and cavity embalming is not the only possible form of treatment.

Depending on the circumstances, an embalmer may use more limited or localised treatments rather than carrying out a full embalming. These treatments can sometimes be combined with refrigeration or other cooling methods.

There is no single definition of "partial embalming" that covers every situation, so it is worth asking exactly what treatment is being proposed, what it is intended to achieve and what it will cost.

Don't be afraid to ask:

What are you doing, why are you doing it, and what would happen if we didn't do it?

Those are reasonable questions.

So, is embalming necessary?

Sometimes it may be.

Often it isn't.

There is no general legal requirement in New Zealand to embalm a person who has died, and current government information specifically recognises both embalming and cool care as options.

The appropriate choice depends on the circumstances.

If the funeral is going to be held quickly, cooling may be sufficient. If the family wants to spend several days with the person at home, specialist cooling may provide an alternative to embalming. If the body needs to travel internationally, there may be requirements imposed by the destination country or transport provider that make embalming necessary.

The important thing is not to start with the assumption that embalming is either essential or unnecessary.

Start by asking:

What are we actually trying to achieve?

Then look at the available options.

Questions worth asking

If embalming is being recommended, it is reasonable to ask:

• Why is embalming being recommended in this particular case?
• Is it legally required, or is it simply one option?
• What are the alternatives?
• Would refrigeration or other cooling be sufficient?
• How long is the body expected to remain in good condition?
• Is full embalming necessary, or would a more limited treatment achieve what we want?
• What will each option cost?
• Does the funeral need to be delayed for a particular reason?
• Are there transport or international requirements that affect the decision?

A funeral director should be able to explain the available options, including their advantages, limitations and costs, so that the family can make an informed decision.

Family involvement matters too

There is another part of this discussion that is sometimes overlooked.

Looking after someone after death can be an important part of the grieving process.

Washing the body, dressing the person, doing their hair, applying make-up, spending time with them, assembling the coffin, decorating it and helping place the person inside are all things that families may choose to be involved in.

The New Zealand Government's End of Life Service recognises that families can choose how they care for a person's body, including clothing, make-up, hair styling and staying with the body.

For some people, these practical tasks provide a way of saying goodbye that is more meaningful than simply handing everything over to someone else.

This does not mean that every family should do these things. Grief is personal, and some people will want to be involved in everything while others will prefer professionals to handle the practical work.

There is no right or wrong level of involvement.

The important thing is that you can choose.

A useful New Zealand resource

A very useful New Zealand resource is Better Send-Off: The Ultimate Funeral Guide by Gail McJorrow.

It covers the practical aspects of organising a funeral and explains many of the things families can choose to do themselves. It also looks at ways of personalising a funeral and reducing unnecessary costs.

The current edition is available as a complimentary e-copy from the Better Send-Off website.

For anyone considering doing some or all of a funeral themselves, it is well worth reading before making decisions.

The bottom line

Embalming is a useful tool, but it is only one way of caring for a person after death.

It can slow decomposition, improve presentation and allow more time before a funeral. In some circumstances, particularly international repatriation, it may be required by transport or destination requirements. In other circumstances it may be a useful choice.

But it is not automatically necessary.

Cooling, refrigeration and other forms of cool care can provide alternatives in many situations. Families can also choose how much or how little of the after-death care they want to be involved in.

So before agreeing to embalming, ask the simplest question:

What are we actually trying to achieve?

Once you know the answer, you can make a much more informed decision about whether embalming, cooling, limited treatment, or some combination of these is appropriate.