Do x-rays in pregnancy cause birth defects?

No: The small dose of radiation in x-rays do not cause birth defects. In fact, most diagnostic imaging studies do not expose the fetus to enough radiation to cause birth defects. It is still prudent to shield the pelvis and abdomen in any case if the imaging needs to be done and the area to be imaged does not include where the baby is.

No: The present x- ray procedures are not implicated in specific defects.We do try to avoid x-rays to male or female sex organs out of caution.Each of us is subject to daily gamma radiation from the sun & years of it may be reflected in the increasing frequency of chromosome defects as a woman ages. Since defective sperm don't swim as well, age doesn't seem to affect older male's offspring as much.

They can.: Mutations are sometimes caused by ionizing radiation (x-rays, ct-scans) applied to the maternal abdomen/pelvis during early pregnancy (4-12 weeks, before most women realize they are pregnant!). The mechanism is damage to the embryonic dna by the radiation beam. As most pregnant women get x-rays to other parts of their body with lead apron over their abdomen, the practical risk is close to zero.