The invention concerns an absorbent article (1, 100, 101, 102), such as a sanitary napkin, a panty liner or an incontinence protector, which article has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, a front portion (2), a rear portion (4) and a crotch portion (3) located between the front portion (2) and 5 the rear portion (4), said article (1, 100, 101, 102) comprising an absorption member (20) having an upper side (25) intended to face a wearer during use of the article (1, 100, 101, 102) and a lower side (21) intended to face away from the wearer during use of the article (1, 100, 101, 102), and a stiffening element (6, 60, 70, 70' 80) that, at least during use of the article (1, 100, 101, 10 102), provides the article with a predetermined shape that enhances the fit of the article (1, 100, 101, 102) to the wearer's body. The invention is characterized in that the stiffening element (6, 60, 70, 70' 80) is secured to the upper side (25) of the absorption member (20) such that an outer side (12) of the stiffening element (6, 60, 70, 70' 80) faces away from the 15 absorption member (20)； that the stiffening element (6, 60, 70, 70' 80) comprises a material exhibiting mechanical fastening properties, wherein the outer side of the stiffening element (6, 60, 70, 70' 80) exhibits said mechanical fastening properties.
