ABSORBENT MEMBERS HAVING LOW DENSITY AND BASIS WEIGHT ACQUISITION ZONES

ABSORBENT MEMBERS HAVING LOW DENSITY AND BASIS WEIGHT ACQUISITION ZONES An absorbent article wherein the deposition region of its absorbent member comprises a storage zone and an acquisition zone having a lower average density and a lower average basis weight per unit area than the storage zone. The acquisition zone is positioned toward the front of either the absorbent member or the absorbent article so that the acquisition zone may most effectively and efficiently rapidly acquire discharged liquids. The absorbent member comprises a mixture of hydrophilic fibrous material and discrete particles of absorbent gelling material having a particular size distribution so as to enhance the absorbent capacity and acquisition rate of the absorbent member. The particles of absorbent gelling material are selected to have a mass median particle size greater than or equal to about 400 microns with the amounts of very large and very small particles preferably kept below certain minimum concentrations.