The medical emergency exception in Tennessee's abortion ban is unclear, a Tennessee court has ruled, barring the state from enforcing the ban in case of certain medical conditions while a lawsuit by doctors and women who say they were denied abortions goes forward.

A three-judge panel has ruled that Tennessee cannot discipline doctors who provide emergency abortions to protect the life of the mother while a lawsuit challenging the state’s sweeping abortion ban continues.

Three judges in Tennessee issued an injunction that temporarily protects doctors in the state from being disciplined for performing medically necessary abortions. The temporary injunction was issued Thursday in response to a lawsuit filed more than a year ago seeking to stop Tennessee’s abortion ban and require officials to clarify the “medical necessity exemption”