ELLEN DEGENERES - DEGENERES AND DE ROSSI PLAN A FAMILY

Lesbian couple ELLEN DeGENERES and PORTIA DE ROSSI are considering cementing their romance by becoming first-time parents.

Comedienne DeGeneres refuses to go into details about whether the couple plans to adopt or go for a natural birth, but she admits she's beginning to think about motherhood - and she's aware she has to act fast.

She tells America's People magazine says, "I think we should do it (have a child) soon... When I'm around babies, I just melt. It's a big responsibility."

But before they could plan parenthood, DeGeneres had to fight America's strict anti-gay marriage laws to make sure her partner would be well looked after if anything should happen to her.

She explains, "If it were legal, we would be married, but it's not legal. I hate politics, but I think everyone should be treated equally.

If I die tomorrow, everything's taken away. We've taken precautions for that and she's taken care of, but, because we're not married, the taxes could take everything."