Disclosed is a sanitary napkin having a transversely segmented absorbent core. The core is divided into a plurality of independent segments, each able to move in the Z-direction without constraints from such movement imposed by adjacent segments. Each segment may be disconnected from the adjacent segment, or connected to the adjacent segment by an isthmic connection registered with the longitudinal centerline of the sanitary napkin or by two isthmic connections, one registered with each longitudinal side edge of the core.