I'm natal co-host, Martina Abraham Zulunga. If you did know, we are halfway through the first season of

natal and just wanted to take a moment simply to thank you for being on this journey with us. We recently

hit 100,000 downloads. Like, wow. That's a huge testament to how urgent it is to hear from

black parents and how critical it is for spaces that center their stories and experiences.

With Natal, we set out to explore what it's like to have a baby while black in the U.S.

That meant talking to parents, birth workers, and medical professionals,

but it also meant talking to those of us like Gabrielle and me,

who don't have children yet, but might one day want to.

For many of us, that journey begins well before we try to have a baby.

We talk about the complications that some black parents face when trying to conceive or give

birth. Well, oftentimes, these challenges are tied to pre-existing conditions which affect us

for years prior. One of those conditions is fibroids.

If you haven't suffered from them, you probably know someone who has.

For me personally, I have countless friends and family members who've battled with them.

Today, we're airing a special episode from our friends at the Bodies podcast.

Their show follows women and non-binary folks

on their journeys to solve the mysteries of their bodies. In this episode, you'll hear from

Kalalea. She wanted answers to her heavy, painful periods. Here's Kalalea's story.

This is Bodies, a show about exploring the mysteries of our bodies.

I'm Alison Berenger.

Kalalia's story begins in the same place that womanhood is said to begin, the first period.

And for Kalalia, it set the stage for a mystery that would come to dominate her very experience of womanhood.

...