Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods and Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell offered their support to the first-year midwifery students, who cycled a six-mile route through central London on vintage bikes, inspired by the BBC series Call the Midwife.
Dr Blackman-Woods, Labour MP for the City of Durham, said: 'This is a fantastic campaign which I am really pleased to support.
'Midwives do an extremely challenging and important job so it is essential that we continue to invest in midwifery and ensure that they are able to give the highest level of care possible.'
Ms McKinnell added: 'It was great to meet the midwives and hear about their campaign. The government promised not to cut NHS services but the students told me that we need at least 5000 more midwives to cope with a growing birth rate.
'I hope the government will now read their petition, and sit up and take notice of what NHS staff are telling them.'
Event organiser and first-year midwifery student Rebecca Ashley reported a 'fantastic' turn-out at the event.
'This has been a great experience for us. It has been really important for us to connect with MPs and the general public and spread the message about the midwifery shortage,' she said.
In England, the RCM is campaigning for 5000 more midwives and has an e-petition lodged with the government, which currently has 59,500 signatures and must achieve 100,000 by 22 August.
