OBJECTIVE To explore differences in prognosis between adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to explore feasibility of ovarian preservation in stage IB-IIA cervical cancer (CC). METHODS Medical records of 810 patients (682 SCC + 128 AC) with stage IB-IIA CC were reviewed. Clinical and pathological characters of the two groups were compared using the chi-squared test. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used in univariate analysis of prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors was conducted by the Cox hazards regression model. RESULTS The incidence of LVSI (lymphovascular space invasion) and poor cell differentiation in SCC patients was higher than that in AC patients (23.90% vs. 8.59%, P < 0.05; and 54.25% vs. 28.91%, P < 0.05). Results of univariate analysis showed that cell differentiation, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis (LNM), ovarian metastasis (OM), parametrial involvement (PI), LVSI, depth of stromal invasion, and tumor size were related to the prognosis of patients with stage IB-IIA CC (P < 0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that cell differentiation, clinical stage, and LNM were independent prognostic factors for patients with stage IB-IIA CC. There was no difference in 5-year survival rate between SCC patients and AC patients (87.3% vs. 82.4%; P > 0.05). In AC patients, there was no difference in the 5-year survival rate between patients with ovarian retention and patients with bilateral ovariectomy (75% vs. 86.6%; P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In stage IB-IIA CC, there is no difference in prognosis between AC and SCC. The ovaries of stage IB-IIA1 AC patients under age 45 might be preserved.