Sanitary absorbent article

A sanitary napkin adapted to be worn in a thong undergarment comprising a central absorbent pad, the central absorbent pad having;

• a liquid pervious cover layer,
• a liquid impervious barrier layer;
• and
• an absorbent core between the cover layer and barrier layer having a pair of opposite longitudinal side edges defining therebetween a width dimension, a first transverse end and an opposite second transverse end defining therebetween a length dimension,
• the sanitary napkin having a longitudinal centerline, a lateral centerline, a first distal end region, an opposite second distal end region and a central region intermediate the first distal end region and the second distal end region,
• the sanitary napkin having a flap extending laterally outward from each longitudinal side edge in the central region along a line of juncture, the line of juncture defining the length of the central region, each flap being adapted to fold over a crotch portion of the thong undergarment in use;
• the width of the absorbent core varying along at least a portion of the length of the absorbent core such that the width of the absorbent core in the second distal end region has a maximum value that is greater than a maximum value of the width of the absorbent core in the first distal end region,
• the absorbent core in the first distal end region having a length measured intermediate the central region and the first transverse end, wherein the maximum value of the width of the absorbent core in the first distal end region does not exceed 40 mm along any portion of the length of the first distal end region, the width of the absorbent core in the first distal end region does not exceed 30 mm along at least one half of the length of the first distal end region and wherein a ratio of the length of the first distal end region to the maximum width of the absorbent core in the first distal end region is less than 2.