Saint Peter’s University Hospital welcomes new chair to its Women’s and Maternal Health leadership team

New Brunswick-based Saint Peter’s University Hospital on Wednesday announced it appointed Dr. Michael Vardy as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Vardy is a well-known and widely respected educator, author and researcher who comes to Saint Peter’s from Englewood Hospital, where he served as director of urogynecology for 21 years and for the past six as chief of obstetrics and gynecology.

In 2005, Vardy founded the fellowship program in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, where he served as division and fellowship director and was promoted to associate professor.

Vardy graduated from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel, and completed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. After three years as a practicing general obstetrician/gynecologist at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, he returned to Montefiore to complete a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive pelvic surgery/urogynecology. He was awarded the June Alyson Award for his research on the effect of estrogen on the biomechanical properties of pelvic ligaments. At Saint Peter’s, he will also serve as the director of urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery. Urogynecology is a subspecialty focused on diagnosing and treating pelvic floor disorders in women, such as urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic pain. Pelvic reconstructive surgery is a major component, involving procedures to correct anatomical defects and restore normal pelvic anatomy and function.

“I am honored to join Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a renowned leader in maternal care, and look forward to contributing to the organization’s legacy of excellence. My goal is to enhance the continuum of women’s health care by providing top-tier maternal care as well as specialized urogynecologic and pelvic reconstructive services. Together, our team will continue to ensure that every woman receives the highest standard of care throughout all stages of her life,” Vardy said.

“As a destination in the region for maternal and women’s health services, we are excited to welcome an accomplished and highly skilled physician to lead the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and to offer his expert care in the area of urogynecology,” Leslie Hirsch, CEO and president of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, said. “One of the distinguishing factors about Saint Peter’s is that we are one of the busiest maternity centers in the region delivering over 5,600 babies annually — from low-risk pregnancies to the most complex high-risk pregnancies — with the highest level of skill and compassion. From our state-of-the art, midwifery-led Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center located on the Saint Peter’s campus to our award-winning Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, our focus is on ensuring that expectant mothers can be confident in the excellent care they and their babies will receive.”