THE latest statistics for Scotland show less than 1% of adoptions are by same-sex couples, and the number has declined.
Out of 455 children adopted in 2011, only four were by gay or lesbian couples.
The 2011 figures reveal that only one gay couple and three lesbian couples adopted a child. In 2010, 12 same-sex couples (eight lesbian and four gay couples) adopted a child.
Fertility treatments, including IVF and donor insemination, have also been used by same-sex couples trying to conceive.
A total of 561 cycles of IVF were performed for women with a female partner in 2010 - about 100 more than in 2009, resulting in 215 babies being born.
A total of 1028 donor inseminations were carried out on women with a female partner, producing 152 babies in 2010.
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