Which cavity includes the abdominal and pelvic regions and is separated from the thoracic cavity by the diaphragm?

• A. Abdominal cavity
• B. Pelvic cavity
• C. Abdominopelvic cavity
• D. Pleural cavity

Answer: (C)

The starting idea is how the body’s cavities are organized and bounded. The diaphragm acts as the boundary between the thoracic cavity (above) and the space below it that houses the major digestive and reproductive organs. The region below the diaphragm that stretches from the abdomen down into the pelvis forms a single continuous space: the abdominopelvic cavity. It includes the abdominal organs (like stomach, intestines, liver) and the pelvic organs (such as the bladder and reproductive organs).

The pleural cavities are within the thoracic cavity around the lungs, so they’re not part of this space. The abdominal cavity alone doesn’t reach the pelvic region, and the pelvic cavity by itself doesn’t extend up to the diaphragm. That makes the abdominopelvic cavity the correct choice.