A nonwoven fabric useful as a component in a personal hygiene product and a nonwoven personal hygiene component, which is substantially free or free of non-ribbon shaped (e.g., round-shaped) spunbond fibers and includes a meltblown layer between and in direct contact with ribbon-shaped spunbond layers. The meltblown layer has a basis weight of at least about 0.008 gsm and not greater than about 5 gsm, and the nonwoven fabric or component has a basis weight of at least about 8 gsm and not greater than about 40 gsm, a pore size of less than or equal to about 27 microns when measured at 10% of cumulative filter flow. The nonwoven fabric also can have a low surface tension liquid strike through flow of less than 0.9 ml per second, a ratio of low surface tension liquid strike through flow to air permeability of greater than or equal to about 0.016, or both. Personal hygiene articles can incorporate the nonwoven fabric or component.