This invention relates to a method for making absorbent sanitary articles whereby each absorbent article (2) is provided with at least one pair (6) of side tabs (7). The method comprises the steps of feeding a single continuous web (22) with a longitudinal axis (L) towards at least one cutting station (37, 38, 39) where the continuous web (22) is divided, by a succession of cuts transverse to the longitudinal axis (L), into a first and a second series (23, 24) of side tabs (7), each of which has an asymmetrical shape and separately applying each rotated side tab (7) of the first series (23) and each side tab (7) of the second series (24) along a continuous strip (9) of a material for making the absorbent articles (2), in such a way that each rotated tab (7) of the first series (23) is juxtaposed with a respective tab (7) of the second series (24) to define a respective pair (6) of side tabs (7).
