On the fifth month of pregnancy (the number of days varies depending on the region), people visit shrines to pray for a safe delivery and wrap a cotton belly band (Iwata obi) around the pregnant woman's belly in a ceremony called obi-iwai. This is done on the day of the dog, as it is believed that dogs are fertile, and because they are considered animals that travel between this world and the next, and because dogs bark a lot to protect the home, it is said to ward off evil spirits. In addition to protecting the fetus, the belly band is also said to have religious significance, such as stabilizing the fetus's spirit.