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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Leading medical societies say even though there's no swine flu pandemic, pregnant women still need flu shots.

Thousands of health providers will get that message in letters this week.

The letter urges doctors to explain the importance of vaccination to pregnant woman and help them find a shot. It's from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and eight other medical groups.

Any kind of flu is risky during pregnancy, for mother and baby. But last year's swine flu pandemic brought extra attention to the need for vaccination.

This year brings a return to the usual one-dose flu vaccine, which will protect against a return of that swine flu strain as well as two other flu types.

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