When MaKenzie Ristau called the Mankato Clinic to get her results from her blood test, she expected to hear “I’m so sorry, it was negative.” Instead, she heard “You’re pregnant!” and “Everything looks great.”
“You’re not expecting to hear the words, ‘You’re pregnant.’ You’re just not,” MaKenzie says.
She sobbed. When she called her husband, Jerad Ristau, he burst into tears. Then she called the nurse back two times to repeat the instructions because she didn’t hear anything after “You’re Pregnant.”
Becoming a family is a dream come true for the Ristaus. To begin their path to parenthood, they turned to Mankato Clinic Fertility Services. Today, they’re celebrating the little boy who changed their lives.
When the Ristaus married in May 2024, they knew they wanted children. They began trying to conceive. MaKenzie was 23 and Jerad was 27. MaKenzie’s periods weren’t regular and at-home ovulation tests didn’t turn positive. She saw her family medicine provider, Alyssa Richardson, DNP, and was sent to Fertility Services in October 2024.
By May 2025, they were pregnant and they welcomed Baby Bode into the world on January 28, 2026!
“He’s here, he’s healthy,” Jerad says. “He came out perfect.”
“We were blessed with a super short journey. We don’t take that for granted,” MaKenzie says.
The fertility journey can be emotional for couples.
The first call to Fertility Services was difficult. “The thing that women are supposed to be doing isn’t happening for me. You can’t talk about it, you don’t want to share it. All of those emotions are flooding through my head,” MaKenzie remembers.
The nurses assured MaKenzie that she wasn’t alone. In fact, fertility issues occur in 15-20% of all couples.
“People don’t talk about it enough. It’s a hidden disease,” Jerad says.
Jerad reassured MaKenzie that this was not her fault. “We will figure out how to overcome this. We just gotta believe. Our faith helped us through this.”
The first step is a consultation in Fertility Services with Galen Beckel, physician assistant, or Larissa Halvorson, nurse practitioner. Medical history, lab tests, and ultrasounds aid in ruling out barriers to conception.
MaKenzie was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which causes missed or irregular periods and unpredictable ovulation. PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. Next, Galen and Larissa created a treatment plan with the Ristaus.
MaKenzie began taking medication to aid in follicular (egg) growth. With frequent ultrasounds, injectable medication can be given at the optimal time to trigger ovulation.
Next, they followed a care plan of timed intamacy and intrauterine insemination (IUI). IUI injects sperm into a woman’s uterus to increase the chances of achieving pregnancy. To achieve pregnancy, MaKenzie and Jerad completed four IUI treatments at Mankato Clinic.
“It’s a super eye-opening experience. It’s honestly amazing when you go through fertility and see how everything has to line up,” MaKenzie says.The fertility team – Galen, Larissa and their nurses – became like one big family to the Ristaus. Open and friendly conversations at the clinic helped Makenzie and Jerad find humor and stay positive. They also became closer as a couple.
Once pregnant, MaKenzie transitioned to Dr. Carla Goerish, Mankato Clinic obstetrician. Her pregnancy went well and she felt good. At week 36, she developed gestational hypertension and Bode was born by a planned C-section a few weeks early.
After two years of fertility and OB appointments, they are settling into a new routine as parents and as a family.
“I look at him all the time and I think about the whole journey,” MaKenzie says.
What began with a phone call to Mankato Clinic Fertility Services ended with a dream come true. Baby Bode. Now, their story is just beginning.
Larissa Halvorson, nurse practitioner, and Galen Beckel, physician assistant, meet Baby Bode!
Expert Advice
Larissa Halvorson, APRN, CNP, and Galen Beckel, PA-C, at Mankato Clinic Fertility Services share their expert advice.
Larissa Halvorson, nurse practitioner, and Galen Beckel, physician assistant, meet Baby Bode!
The fertility journey is as emotional as it is medical, so we make space for both. We normalize feelings like grief, anxiety and relationship strain, screen for depression, and encourage open communication between partners so they stay connected rather than isolated.
If you are having trouble conceiving, we want you to know that you are not alone. You are not failing.
Fertility challenges are common, medical, and deeply human. Needing help to build your family is no different than needing care for any other health conditions.
Clear, honest expectations and discussion of mental health are some of our priorities. We want patients to feel supported, informed and empowered — whatever path they choose.
Couples and individuals wonder when it’s time to seek help to conceive. If you’re under 35 and have been trying for 12 months – or over 35 and trying for 6 months – it’s reasonable to seek evaluation. If you have irregular cycles, known conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, prior pelvic infections, or a history of testicular issues, seek help sooner.
We also assist same sex couples & single females in achieving pregnancy.
Visit Fertility Services to learn more.