Absorbent article having apertured side panels

An absorbent article (20), comprising:

• a. an absorbent chassis (32) defining:
• i. a longitudinal axis (48), a transverse axis(49), front and back waist edges parallel to the transverse axis, opposite side edges extending between the front and back waist edges,
• ii. a front waist region (22) contiguous with the front waist edge, viii. a back waist region (24) contiguous with the back waist edge, and
• iv. a crotch region (26) which extends between and interconnects the front and back waist regions,
• 1. the front waist region (22) defining a pair of transversely opposed front side panels (34) having an upper edge (60) contiguous with the front waist edge and a bottom edge (62) and a front center panel positioned between and interconnecting the front side panels,
• 2. the back waist region defining a pair of transversely opposed back side panels (134) having an upper edge (70) contiguous with the back waist edge and a bottom edge (72) and a back center panel positioned between and interconnecting the back side panels,
• wherein the front and back side (34, 134) panels have a length (L1) extending from the upper edge to the bottom edge, an upper portion (90) adjacent to the upper edge and having an upper portion length (L2), a lower portion (100) adjacent to the bottom edge and having a lower portion length (L3), and a middle portion (110) disposed between the upper and lower portions and having a middle portion length (L4)
• 3. a plurality of slits (120) disposed within the middle portion wherein the upper and lower portions are substantially free from slits and wherein the slits (120) become holes (120a) when the absorbent article is donned.

An absorbent article (20) comprising:

• a chassis (32) having a longitudinal axis(48), a transverse axis(49), a front waist region (22) having a front upper edge (60) and a front bottom edge (62) and a back waist region (24) having a back upper edge (70) and a back bottom edge (72);
• a pair of elastomeric front side panels that are extensible in the transverse direction, the front side panels extending from the front waist portion and having an upper edge portion that is contiguous with the front waist edge, and a lower edge portion, an outer most surface and opposed inner most surface, each front side panel having a length (L1) extending from the upper edge to the lower edge, an upper portion (90) adjacent to the upper edge and having an upper portion length (L2), a lower portion (100) adjacent to the bottom edge and having a lower portion length (L3), and a middle portion (110) disposed between the upper and lower portions and having a middle portion length (L4), wherein the middle portion comprises a plurality of longitudinally orientated slits extending from the outer most surface to the inner most surface and having a first aspect ratio and the upper and lower portions are substantially free from slits;
• and
• a pair of elastomeric back side panels that are extensible in the transverse direction, the front side panels extending from the back waist region (24) and having a front upper edge (60) that is contiguous with the front bottom edge (62), and a back bottom edge (72), an outer most surface and opposed inner most surface, each back side panel having a length (L1) extending from the upper edge (60) to the bottom edge (62), an upper portion (90) adjacent to the upper edge and having an upper portion length (L2), a lower portion (100) adjacent to the bottom edge and having a lower portion length (L3), and a middle portion (110) disposed between the upper and lower portions and having a middle portion length (L4), wherein the middle portion comprises a plurality of longitudinally orientated slits extending from the outer most surface to the inner most surface and having a first aspect ratio and the upper and lower portions are substantially free from slits (120), wherein upon donning of the article by a wearer the first aspect ratio is decreased.