Thin sanitary napkin having a central absorbent zone and a method of forming the napkin

A sanitary napkin having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a) a liquid-impermeable cover;
• b) a liquid-impermeable baffle;
• c) an absorbent positioned between said cover and said baffle, said absorbent having a longitudinally-extending central absorbent zone aligned along the longitudinal axis of said napkin, said central absorbent zone having a width of less than 2 inches and being capable of absorbing at least 20 grams of body fluid;
• and
• d) a peripheral zone aligned adjacent to said absorbent zone, said peripheral zone including said cover, said baffle and a tissue therebetween, said peripheral zone having a different stiffness than said central absorbent zone and the difference in stiffness value is greater than about 150 mg. when measured by subtracting a maximum machine direction Gurley stiffness value of said peripheral zone from a minimum machine direction Gurley stiffness value of said absorbent zone, the difference in stiffness between said absorbent zone and said peripheral zone substantially preventing bunching of said napkin when said napkin is subjected to lateral stresses, and said napkin having a caliper of less than about 5 millimeters.