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Abstract
Argentina passed a law for humanized birth in 2004 and another law against obstetric
violence in 2009, both of which stipulate the rights of women to achieve respectful
maternity care. Clinicians and women might still be unaware of these laws, however.
In this article, we discuss the case of a fourth-year medical student who, while visiting
Argentina from the United States for his obstetric rotation, witnesses an act of obstetric
violence. We show that the student's situation can be understood as one of moral distress
and argue that, in this specific instance, it would be appropriate for the student
to intervene by providing supportive care to the patient. However, we suggest that
medical schools have an obligation to better prepare students for rotations conducted
abroad.