Women seeking abortions in Nashville will now have to travel hours outside the city after the only clinic offering abortions in the region has temporarily halted its services.

Tereva Parham, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, confirmed Monday that the Nashville-based clinic stopped offering abortions last week but is still open for other health services.

Parham says the change is temporary to allow a "quality improvement" period at the clinic. The change was first reported by The Tennessean.

Parham said a lack of abortion providers is part of the reason for the announcement.

Planned Parenthood is now referring patients to clinics in Knoxville and Memphis.

It's unknown how long abortion services will be suspended at the Nashville clinic.

In August, another Nashville abortion provider abruptly closed.