Provided are a hook-and-loop fastener female member adopting a non-woven fabric for its engaging layer in which fluffing of the engaging layer after peeling after engagement with a hook-and-loop fastener male member is effectively suppressed, and a hook-and-loop fastener and a sanitary article each including the hook-and-loop fastener female member of the present invention. The hook-and-loop fastener female member of the present invention is a hook-and-loop fastener female member including an engaging layer engageable with a hook-and-loop fastener male member and a physical property layer configured to hold the engaging layer, in which the engaging layer includes a non-woven fabric of fiber, in which the hook-and-loop fastener female member has an embossed pattern (10), and in which the hook-and-loop fastener female member has a region (20) free of the embossed pattern in which pieces of the fiber have mutual bonding points.
