The common iliac artery divides to form which vessels?

• A. Internal and External Iliac Arteries
• B. Inferior Epigastric and Superior Epigastric Arteries
• C. Anterior and Posterior Circumflex Femoral Arteries
• D. Renal Artery and Splenic Artery

Answer: (A)

The key idea is where the common iliac artery splits. Each common iliac artery divides into an internal iliac and an external iliac. The internal iliac stays in the pelvis to supply pelvic organs and the gluteal region, while the external iliac continues downward and becomes the femoral artery to supply the lower limb. The other vessels mentioned aren’t the immediate divisions: the epigastric arteries are branches that come off after the division (inferior epigastric from the external iliac; superior epigastric from the internal thoracic), the circumflex femoral arteries arise in the thigh from the femoral system, and the renal and splenic arteries come directly from the abdominal aorta. So the vessels formed directly by the division of the common iliac are the internal and external iliac arteries.