PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide softer touch in touching a product in a natural length state by a hand.SOLUTION: An expanding and contracting structure of an absorbent article includes: two sheet layers 12S, 12H (not shown in figures) extending in an expanding and contracting direction and a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the expanding and contracting direction； and a plurality of thin and long elastic expanding and contracting members 19 which are arranged between the sheet layers 12S, 12H at intervals in the perpendicular direction and extend in the expanding and contracting direction. In the elastic expanding and contracting member 19, both end parts in the expanding and contracting direction are fixed end parts 19f formed by fixing on the two sheet layers 12S, 12H, and a part between the fixed end parts 19f is a free part 19m that is not fixed on the two sheet layers 12S, 12H. A sheet joining part 20 is formed by substantially continuously joining the two sheet layers 12S, 12H in the expanding and contracting direction in an inter-free parts region FA defined as a region between a pair of the free parts 19m that are adjacent in the perpendicular direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12【課題】自然長状態の製品を手で触ったときに、より柔軟な感触が得られるようにする。【解決手段】伸縮方向及びこれと直交する直交方向に延びる２枚のシート層１２Ｓ，１２Ｈ（図示せず）と、これらシート層１２Ｓ，１２Ｈの間に直交方向に間隔を空けて配置された、伸縮方向に沿って延びる複数本の細長状の弾性伸縮部材１９とを有し、弾性伸縮部材１９は、その伸縮方向両端部が２枚のシート層１２Ｓ，１２Ｈに固定されてなる固定端部１９ｆとされるとともに、これら固定端部１９ｆの間は２枚のシート層１２Ｓ，１２Ｈに非固定の自由部１９ｍとされており、直交方向に隣接する一対の自由部１９ｍの間の領域として定まる自由部間領域ＦＡで、２枚のシート層１２Ｓ，１２Ｈが伸縮方向に実質的に連続的に接合されることによりシート接合部２０が形成されている、吸収性物品の伸縮構造である。【選択図】図１２
