#$%^&*AU2013263699A120131212.pdf#####ABSTRACT An absorbent article substantially symmetric about a longitudinal center line thereof and comprising: a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction orthogonal to the 5 longitudinal direction a ventral sheet member and a dorsal sheet member extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction and a crotch sheet member extending in the longitudinal direction and joined to said ventral sheet member and said dorsal sheet member so as to connect said 10 ventral and dorsal sheet members to each other wherein said crotch sheet member has a transverse dimension smaller than those of said ventral and dorsal sheet members, wherein said ventral sheet member and said dorsal sheet member are provided with waist elastic members bonded thereto under tension in the 15 transverse direction at least a region of said ventral sheet member in which said waist elastic members are present and said crotch sheet member overlap each other opposite side edges extending in the longitudinal direction on both sides of said crotch sheet member are parallel to each other at least when 20 the absorbent article is flatly developed and an apparent width of said crotch sheet member as measured in the transverse direction after said waist elastic members have been left contract and thereby said crotch sheet member has been left shrink together with said ventral sheet member and said dorsal 25 sheet member is larger on a border line with said dorsal sheet member than on a border line with said ventral sheet member.
