Which description aligns with suffocation?

• A. Obstructing oxygen from getting into the lungs
• B. Blocking the airway due to food
• C. Strangulation is a form of suffocation
• D. Pillows are never used in suffocation

Answer: (A)

Suffocation means air cannot reach the lungs to deliver oxygen. The description that states obstructing oxygen from getting into the lungs directly captures this essential idea—the airway is blocked or airflow is prevented, so the lungs don’t receive oxygen.

Choking from food is a real way suffocation can occur, but it’s a specific scenario. Strangulation describes a particular mechanism that can lead to suffocation, not the general definition itself. And the claim that pillows are never involved isn’t accurate—cases involving pillows do occur. So the broad mechanism of obstructed oxygen entry best defines suffocation.