A pregnant Adelaide drug trafficker who asked the court to spare her jail to avoid hardship for her infant child has been sentenced to at least 18 months in jail.

Key points: Sorayah Constant pleads guilty to drug trafficking charges

Sorayah Constant pleads guilty to drug trafficking charges Constant is 15 weeks' pregnant and has an 18 month-old-daughter

Constant is 15 weeks' pregnant and has an 18 month-old-daughter The judge decided not to suspend Constant's sentence

Sorayah Louise Constant, 31, of Woodville, pleaded guilty to six counts of attempting to import a marketable quantity of a border-controlled precursor.

The court heard she placed orders for various medications from overseas containing pseudoephedrine which could have produced $102,000 worth of methamphetamine.

The offending breached a good behaviour bond for an earlier drug trafficking offence.

Defence lawyer Heather Stokes had previously asked the District Court not to impose an immediate prison term because Constant's 18-month-old baby would be traumatised by the separation from her mother due to the lack of facilities in South Australia for infants to live with their mothers in prison.

The court was informed today Constant is 15 weeks' pregnant.

Judge Paul Cuthbertson said while the lack of a mothers and babies unit was inadequate, he did not find it amounted to exceptional circumstances to warrant a suspended sentence.

"The state's current position in relation to catering for incarcerated mothers with young children is undoubtedly inadequate," Judge Cuthbertson said.

"I note that South Australia is the only state in Australia that doesn't provide for inmates to have infant children with them in custody in appropriate cases."

Judge Cuthbertson said it was an issue that he gave a great deal of consideration to, but noted Constant's partner and her family would be able to care for her young daughter and the unborn child.

He revoked Constant's suspended sentence bond which carried a sentence of one year and three months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of six months.

He imposed a sentence of two years and seven months with a minimum 12 months to be served.

Constant, who cried in the dock as the sentence was handed down, will be eligible for release after serving 18 months in custody.

Lawyers to lodge an appeal against the sentence

Outside court Ms Stokes said the defence would lodge an appeal on her client's behalf.

"There will be an application for permission to appeal I can tell you that, on the question of whether or not there were special circumstances," she said.

Ms Stokes said she was not confident the State Government would listen to the Judge's comments about the inadequacy of the current correctional system.

"If I have to rely on politicians, then God help us," she said.

"Relying on politicians to do anything that won't garner them votes is imponderable, they just don't but ... they should."

Ms Stokes said if there were changes to the custodial system it would help others who may find themselves in her client's position.

She said her client's young daughter and unborn child would suffer.

A Correctional Services Department spokesperson said it was a matter for the court to determine whether Constant's sentence was warranted.

"While every effort is made for a primary care-giver to complete their sentence in the community, in this particular case, the individual reoffended while on a community based order," the statement said.

"The Department for Correctional Services continues to progress a range of strategies around accommodating mothers and their children that include a mix of parenting programs, child/family reunification programs and increased visits access.

"One such example is the 24 beds for women recently commissioned at the Adelaide Pre-Release Centre.

"Women accommodated here are able to have visits six days per week and as they progress through the system and demonstrate good behaviour can participate in other reunification programs such as weekend stays for appropriate, low security offenders."