Sanitary napkin
Sanitary napkins are absorbent devices designed to receive and contain vaginal discharges such as menses. When a female during menstruation lies down to sleep while wearing a sanitary napkin, there is the possibility of rearward leakage of the menstrual blood along the gluteal fold of the wearer. Particularly when the wearer lies on her back, the menstrual blood is liable to flow rearwardly along the gluteal fold by gravity, causing the rearward leakage. Sanitary napkins intercept menses upon discharge, and thereby protect the clothing and bedding of the wearer from soiling due to the menses. However, oftentimes the sanitary napkin can shift in use and the menses will not hit the target area. Additionally, improved menses interception can occur if the sanitary napkin is in close contact with the body of the wearer. As sanitary napkins taking measures to prevent such rearward leakage of the menstrual blood in bed, there have been known ones of which a rear portion can readily fit in the gluteal fold. The effectiveness of external feminine sanitary protection products such as sanitary napkins is known to depend upon the proximity of the napkin to the user's perineal area. A close fit allows the napkin to collect fluid near the source of the exit from the body and minimizes fluid traveling along the body. Sanitary napkins are typically constructed as multi-layered sheets of laminated absorbent material and are worn between the wearer's undergarment and genital area on the outside of the body. Sanitary napkins typically both absorb the menstrual flow and block flow of the menstrual fluids onto the wearer's clothing. Disposable sanitary napkins generally comprise an absorbent element interposed between a liquid pervious body-contacting layer (often referred to as a topsheet or cover layer) and a liquid impervious protective barrier layer (often referred to as a barrier sheet). Sanitary napkins having side flaps are generally available in the marketplace. Generally, the flaps extend laterally from the side edges of a central absorbent structure and are intended to drape over the edges of the wearer's panties in the crotch region. Thus, the flaps are disposed between the edges of the wearer's panties in the crotch region and the wearer's thighs. Commonly, the flaps are provided with an attachment means for affixing the flaps to the underside of the wearer's panties. The flaps serve at least two purposes. First, the flaps prevent exudates from soiling the edges of the wearer's panties and second, the flaps, when affixed to the underside of the panties, help stabilize the napkin in the undergarment and prevent it shifting out of place. The absorbent element is capable of receiving and containing liquids such as menses and other vaginal liquid discharges. The body-contacting layer is intended to provide a comfortable and dry-feeling contact with a user's body surfaces while allowing free passage of liquid therethrough into the subjacent absorbent element. The protective barrier is intended to retain the absorbed liquids within the absorbent element and thus prevent the absorbed liquids from soiling the user's garments. Disposable sanitary napkins are generally provided with an adhesive attachment means for securing the napkin to the inner crotch area of the user's undergarments. Protective side flaps may optionally be provided along the longitudinal sides of the napkin which are adapted to be folded over the edges of a crotch portion of the user's undergarment.
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