Objective To explore the effect of miR⁃218⁃5p targeting VEGFA gene on apoptosis and migra⁃ tion of cervical cancer HeLa cells. Methods In the study，cervical cancer cells HeLa were cultured，and the cells were divided into miR⁃NC group，miR⁃218⁃5p group，si⁃NC group，si⁃VEGFA group，miR⁃NC+pcDNA⁃VEG⁃ FA group，miR⁃218⁃5p+pcDNA⁃ VEGFA group. Real⁃time fluorescent quantitative PCR（RT⁃qPCR）was used to detect the expression levels of miR⁃218⁃5p and VEGFA mRNA；flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis； Transwell was used to detect cell migration；Western blot was used to detect cellular B⁃cell lymphoma 2（Bcl⁃2）， Bax，matrix metalloproteinase（MMP2），MMP9 protein expression；dual luciferase reporter experiment to detect the targeting relationship between miR ⁃ 218⁃5p and VEGFA. Results Compared with normal cervical epithelial cells NC104，the expression of miR⁃218 in cervical cancer cells HeLa，CaSki，C33A and SiHa were reduced，and the expression of VEGFA mRNA were increased（P < 0.05）. Compared with the miR⁃NC group，the apoptosis rate in the miR⁃218⁃5p group was increased，and the number of cell migration was decreased（P < 0.05）. Compared with the si⁃NC group，the apoptosis rate in the si⁃VEGFA group was increased，and the number of cell migration were decreased（P < 0.05）. miR⁃218⁃5p targeted the regulation of VEGFA expression，and regulation of VEGFA expression could reverse the effects of miR ⁃ 218⁃5p overexpression on apoptosis and migration of cervical cancer cells（P < 0.05）. Conclusion miR⁃218⁃5p targeting VEGFA gene promotes cervical cancer HeLa cell apoptosis and inhibits migration.