Abortion opponents say they have rendered Birmingham "abortion free" with the shutdown of the Planned Parenthood Clinic on the city's Southside, but a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman said they've only slowed down -- not shut down.

In a written statement, Planned Parenthood vice president of external affairs Nora Spencer said the clinic was slowing down to upgrade operations.

But a pro-life news agency today came out with the headline: "Birmingham Abortion Free For Now As Planned Parenthood Closes."

LifeNews.com reports that a sign appeared on the building off Highland Avenue before Christmas saying the facility would be closed until Jan. 6. The facility, a frequent target of protesters, did reopen "but only briefly," said abortion opponent Terry Gensemer of CEC for Life in Birmingham.



A check this afternoon at the clinic revealed no cars in the parking lot and a paper on the door saying "temporarily closed."

Additionally, LifeNews.com reports witnesses in late December saw the clinic director escorted from the building, according to Gensemer. Gensemer told Alabama Media Group he personally did not witness that action but heard reports from those on the scene.

Spencer did not comment beyond her statement.

"Planned Parenthood in Birmingham prioritizes patient care, and provides essential reproductive health care to over 1,600 women, men and teens each year," she said. "We are slowing down our services in Birmingham temporarily in order to upgrade our operations.

"Planned Parenthood Southeast is committed to excellence, and the effort we are taking is to verify that we are doing everything we can to ensure patients have a safe, positive experience while in our care. "

State deputy general counsel Brian Hale, representing the Alabama Department of Public Health which regulates abortion clinics, said he has heard of no shut down. He said the clinic is still licensed to perform abortions. But the clinic did file to perform fewer abortions in the months of December and January, he said.

A note on Planned Parenthood's Birmingham website says: Services at our Birmingham health center are temporarily slowed. Please call (205) 322-2121 for more information about our other locations."

The Planned Parenthood clinic is the only abortion clinic left in Birmingham. Another Southside clinic, formerly called New Woman All Women, had its license taken away in 2012 but continued operations until the state successfully sued and gained a court order to shut it as a clinic in August.

Afterward, the doctor there, Bruce Norman, briefly performed abortions under the lower volume regulation guidelines for a physician's office but has since quit, said his lawyer Scott Morro.

"Dr. Norman has decided not to operate in the city of Birmingham," Morro said.