A machine for making absorbent sanitary articles having a main longitudinal direction of extension and comprising - a permeable inner layer; - an impermeable outer layer; - an absorbent pad interposed between the inner layer and the outer layer and comprising: - a first layer of non-woven fabric; - a second layer of non-woven fabric partly joined to the first layer of non-woven fabric; - an absorbent core interposed between the first and second layers (NW1, NW2) of non-woven fabric, the absorbent core comprising a spread of absorbent polymer material (SAP1, SAP2); - a plurality of seals (9, 9a) for connecting the first layer of non-woven fabric to the second layer of non-woven fabric; - a third layer of non-woven fabric interposed between the first and second layers (NW1, NW2) of non-woven fabric, the machine comprising a line for feeding at least one continuous web of impermeable material for defining the impermeable outer layer, a line for feeding at least one continuous web of permeable material for defining the permeable inner layer and at least one unit for forming the absorbent pads to form a succession of the absorbent pads and to associate the absorbent pads with the continuous web of impermeable material, the forming unit comprising a system for feeding a first web of non-woven fabric in a feed direction along a path for defining the first layer of non-woven fabric, a first station for placing a second web of non-woven fabric on the first web of non-woven fabric for defining the second layer of non-woven fabric, a station for joining the second web of non-woven fabric to the first web of non-woven fabric, a first station for laying out the first spread of absorbent polymer material on the first web of non-woven fabric and being operatively positioned upstream of the first placing station relative to the first feed direction, the machine being characterized in that the forming unit comprises a second station for placing a third web of non-woven fabric between the first web of non-woven fabric and the second web of non-woven fabric which defines the third layer of non-woven fabric and which operates upstream of the first placing station relative to the feed direction. - a permeable inner layer; - an impermeable outer layer; - an absorbent pad interposed between the inner layer and the outer layer and comprising: - a first layer of non-woven fabric; - a second layer of non-woven fabric partly joined to the first layer of non-woven fabric; - an absorbent core interposed between the first and second layers (NW1, NW2) of non-woven fabric, the absorbent core comprising a spread of absorbent polymer material (SAP1, SAP2); - a plurality of seals (9, 9a) for connecting the first layer of non-woven fabric to the second layer of non-woven fabric; - a third layer of non-woven fabric interposed between the first and second layers (NW1, NW2) of non-woven fabric, the machine comprising a line for feeding at least one continuous web of impermeable material for defining the impermeable outer layer, a line for feeding at least one continuous web of permeable material for defining the permeable inner layer and at least one unit for forming the absorbent pads to form a succession of the absorbent pads and to associate the absorbent pads with the continuous web of impermeable material, the forming unit comprising a system for feeding a first web of non-woven fabric in a feed direction along a path for defining the first layer of non-woven fabric, a first station for placing a second web of non-woven fabric on the first web of non-woven fabric for defining the second layer of non-woven fabric, a station for joining the second web of non-woven fabric to the first web of non-woven fabric, a first station for laying out the first spread of absorbent polymer material on the first web of non-woven fabric and being operatively positioned upstream of the first placing station relative to the first feed direction, the machine being characterized in that the forming unit comprises a second station for placing a third web of non-woven fabric between the first web of non-woven fabric and the second web of non-woven fabric which defines the third layer of non-woven fabric and which operates upstream of the first placing station relative to the feed direction.