NEWPORT BEACH, CA -- One of Orange County's largest hospitals has banned elective abortions, now that it has joined a Catholic hospital group, it was reported Saturday.

Hoag Memorial Hospital notified its doctors last week that the decision was made independently by the hospital's board, was not religiously inspired and was not imposed by the new partners, the Orange County Register reported. But one Hoag gynecologist expressed unhappiness that his practice was under the new birth control policies of the Catholic agency.

"With this directive, we are coming under the influence of the sisters of St. Joseph," said Dr. Alberto Mendivil. St. Joseph Health System, which is owned by a Catholic charity, has finalized a partnership with Hoag, and in the process created a health-care powerhouse in Orange County, the Register reported. It now controls about one third of the county's health care through its network of six hospitals and affiliated clinics.

St. Joseph facilities follow the Catholic Church's guidelines on health care, and generally prohibit abortions and contraceptive practices, the newspaper reported. "This was not a religious decision for Hoag," said Robert Braithwaite, the chief executive officer for the hospital, in an interview with the Register.

"The board carefully examined all women's services at Hoag," he was quoted as saying. "We understand it's not a popular decision for some people in the community, and we think it was the right decision based on the quality-volume correlation."

But some doctors at the hospital expressed surprise and upset at the news, and said they had been promised separate policies on birth control at St. Joseph's and Hoag.