Agricultural societies, facing the threat of periodic famine, perhaps lack even the ability to oppose abortion. In situations of widespread starvation, with frozen corpses lying by the side of the road, abortion and infanticide are difficult options that nevertheless have to be considered.
對不時面臨饑荒的舊農業社會，確實可能連反墮胎的能力都沒有，在遍地餓莩，路有凍死骨的情形下，墮胎、殺嬰常出現兩難的選擇。