The state of Louisiana has suspended the license of an abortion clinic in Shreveport, saying it did not follow certain guidelines when it came to administration of anesthesia and pre-abortion physical exams.

Hope Medical Group for Women said it has notified its attorney and plans to go to court to challenge the suspension.

The Department of Health and Hospitals said it issued a notice of license revocation to Hope Medical Group on Friday and ordered the Kings Highway clinic to immediately cease performing abortions.

An investigation "found violations that posed significant health and safety risks to clients," DHH said in a statement. Most of the violations cited by DHH regarded the administration of anesthesia.

Hope Medical Group, which opened in 1980, has been involved in repeated litigation against the state in the past.

In addition to abortion procedures, the clinic provides pregnancy testing, the "morning after pill," counseling and adoption referrals.

A law passed by the state Legislature this year gives the state authority to immediately suspend an abortion facility's license under certain circumstances.

An review of just more than a dozen procedures at the facility found several violations, DHH said: Failure to ensure that a physician performed a physical exam on each patient before a procedure; not properly monitoring vital signs of patients under anesthesia; failure to follow proper procedures in administering anesthesia; and failure to have properly trained professionals performing certain medical procedures related to the administering anesthesia.

It was the first time DHH has suspended an abortion clinic's license under the new law, the agency said.

"When we see this level of egregious conduct at a facility, it is incumbent on us to take steps necessary to protect our residents," DHH Interim Secretary Anthony Keck said.

Letters notifying the abortion facility of the revocation action and immediate suspension were faxed to the facility late Friday afternoon.