The common iliac artery distributes into which arteries?

• A. Internal and External Iliac Arteries
• B. Renal and Gonadal Arteries
• C. Celiac and Superior Mesenteric Arteries
• D. Femoral and Popliteal Arteries

Answer: (A)

The route of the common iliac arteries is to split into two branches: an internal iliac and an external iliac. The internal iliac remains in the pelvis to supply pelvic organs and surrounding structures, while the external iliac continues forward, passes beneath the inguinal ligament, and becomes the femoral artery to supply the lower limb. This is why the common iliac artery distributes into internal and external iliac arteries.

Renal and gonadal arteries branch directly from the abdominal aorta, not from the common iliac. The celiac and superior mesenteric arteries are also major abdominal branches higher up the aorta. The femoral and popliteal arteries are downstream segments—the femoral artery arises from the external iliac after it passes under the inguinal ligament, and the popliteal artery is a continuation behind the knee, not a direct division of the common iliac.