Which arteries are formed by the division of the common iliac artery?

• A. Internal and External Iliac Arteries
• B. Renal Artery and Testicular Artery
• C. Cystic Artery and Hepatic Artery
• D. Cerebral Arteries

Answer: (A)

The division of the common iliac artery into two branches—the internal iliac and the external iliac arteries—is how pelvic circulation and lower limb circulation begin. Each common iliac artery comes from the aorta at the level of the pelvic brim and then splits: the external iliac artery continues toward the lower limb and becomes the femoral artery after crossing under the inguinal ligament, while the internal iliac artery dives into the pelvis to supply pelvic organs, gluteal structures, and the perineum. This split is the key idea the question is testing.

The other arteries listed don’t arise from this division. Renal and testicular arteries branch from the abdominal aorta above the iliac bifurcation. Cystic and hepatic arteries are part of the hepatic/octal system stemming from the celiac trunk and the hepatic artery, not from the common iliac division. Cerebral arteries are part of the brain’s circulation, supplied by the carotid and vertebral systems.